Sicilian Culture: The News & Views: Italian American Chairs

Sicilian Culture

The People, The History, The Culture

The News & Views
Italian American Chairs - Specific Info on D'Amato Chair
My efforts for the last three years have been to bring "on line" an Italian American PORTAL, which will be ONE place where an Italian American can find Everything about Anything Italian American. (Yes, of course it will have an Italian component, and Italians around the World component).
In the meantime my other efforts have been in supporting those groups who: Eliminate the Negative ( Anti-Defamationists), and Accentuate the Positive (Studies of the Italian American Experience)
The ENDOWMENT of CHAIRS/PROFESSORSHIPS is an important part to effectuating the Accentuating of the Positive.
That subject has captured our attention in the last several days with the announcement of the D'Amato Chair at Stoney Brook, and Prof. Ben Lawton's disturbing revelations re the Paganucci Chairs at Dartmouth and Colby.
Permit me to digress for a moment.
It is helpful to distinguish between Chairs for (1) Italian American Studies, (2) Italian Studies, and (3) Italian Language Studies.
All are Important! However when you have Limited Resources, one must establish Priorities. Others may differ, which is their prerogative, but IMHO, I would like to see the I-A Communities resources prioritized toward Italian AMERICAN Studies.
My reasoning is as follows: Italian Studies seem to already have substantial support in the Italian Community, AND General Community. It is a very Elegant and Refined subject matter, dwelling on Rome and the Renaissance. (Unfortunately, periods before or in between, or of a Contemporary nature seem to be ignored. Such a pity). Academics and others feel good about associating with such "elevated" and high society subject matter.
Italian American Studies, (that are SO few in number) on the other hand, are considered by too many as "provincial", and "merely" the struggle of an immigrant group that substantially was poverty stricken, and for the longest time despised. (Never mind that despite the enormous obstacles put in their path, most prevailed). It isn't an Elegant, Refined subject matter, fit for high society, and therefore substantially ignored, even though the trials and tribulations, the struggles, the failures and successes are as compelling as any Rome or Renaissance history, and far more germane to the present "condition" of the Italian American Community.
Regarding the Italian Language. Not wanting to, but being forced by scarcefunding, to choose between learning the Italian Language and learning about the ordeals and sacrifices and triumphs of my parents and grandparents and their peers, I would choose not being dumb about my historical culture. Damn to have to make a choice!
I therefore am pleased to see when any group or individual is successful in establishing a Chair in Any of the three categories, but I "tear up" when I hear of the establishing of an ITALIAN AMERICAN Chair.
And of course, it makes me passionately angry when I hear that any Chair so endowed, and so scarce, is being "stolen" from us (Paganucci at Dartmouth and Colby).
I leave it to you to ruminate.
Further to the Specifics regarding the D'Amato Chair at Stoney Brook, Prof. Emeritus James Mancuso, shared with me the following message from Frank Cannata.
Allow me to interject my apologies and plaudits to UNICO whose efforts in this area I have not given sufficient attention or credit to!!!

FRANK CANNATA'S MESSAGE
Dear Professor Mancuso:
In response to your question about how the D'Amato Chair was created.
Two years ago, the Brookhaven Chapter of UNICO National approached Mario Mignone (Head of the Italian-American Cultural Institute at SUNY StonyBrook) about the feasibility of establishing a permanently endowed Chair in Italian-American Studies.
UNICO had already taken he lead position in establishing Chairs at:
UCONN (The Noether Chair in Modern Italian History), Seton Hall (The LaMotta Chair in Italian Studies), University of California-Long Beach (Graziadio Chair in Italian Studies) as well as the DeDominicis Fellowship in Italian-American History at UCONN.
I was invited to make a presentation (at SUNY) and explain what had been done in the past by UNICO National to support the establishment of endowed Chairs of Italian subject matter. At the meeting was Professor Mario Mignone, Professor Fred Gardaphe, a representative of their development group (fund raising), three members of the Brookhaven Chapter as well as the Dean of Arts & Sciences. We outlined the history of UNICO's involvement in the creation of Chairs and a fellowship.
The representatives of the university were enthusiastic and plans were made to formulate a campaign to raise $1.5 Million to endow the Chair. The Brookhaven Chapter applied to UNICO National's Foundation and received $25,000 and obtained an additional $25,000 from an anonymous benefactor.
The Chapter also began fund raising activities and started with a $3,000 donation. Individual members of the Chapter also made generous donations of more than $10,000. Rick Nasti who is associated with the University also gave a very generous donation. In short order approximately $200,000 was raised.
Through the efforts of Senator D'Amato an additional $1 million was raised.The balance of $300,000 will be raised by additional fund raisers.
I sincerely hope this answers your question.
Best wishes,
Frank G. Cannata
(RAA NOTE: Anyone wishing to collaborate with UNICO in establishing a Chair at their local University or College (RAA, Hopefully Italian AMERICAN Studies), particularly those with funding sources, may contact Mr. Cannata at Telephone: (860)-633-7988 or Email: FCannata@compuserve.com )

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