"Reason & Respect: Italian American Heritage Month, Celebrating Contributions and Confronting the Past."
Italian immigrants have left a lasting impression on this country, contributing to everything from literature, art, and architecture to politics, industry, and labor. In this panel discussion, scholars will explore the ways in which Italian Americans have shaped our culture and society. They’ll also examine the recent debates around Christopher Columbus and how it has forced Italian Americans to reconsider their perspective on this controversial historical figure and the impact of colonization.  

The panel will be moderated by Anthony Julian Tamburri, Ph.D., dean of the John D. Calandra Italian American Institute and Distinguished Professor of European Languages and Literatures, at Queens College. The panelists are:  

·        Joseph Sciorra, Ph.D., director of Academic and Cultural Programs at the John D. Calandra Italian American Institute, Queens College 

·        Fred Gardaphe, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor of English and Italian American Studies, John D. Calandra Italian American Institute, Queens College 

·        Marcella Bencivenni, Ph.D., professor of history, and coordinator of the Social Sciences Unit at Hostos Community College