The Italian Cultural Institute of Los Angeles, Italian Consulate General Hon. Nicola Faganello and the Italian American Museum of Los Angeles are holding a reception for Los Angeles’s Little Italy, the much anticipated new book from Historian Marianna Gatto. Thursday, May 13, 2010 6:30 PM Istituto Italiano di Cultur 1023 Hilgard Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90024 Gatto, curator of History and Education for a department of the City of Los Angeles and key proponent of the Italian American Museum of Los Angeles, will make an interactive presentation followed by a book signing and reception. There is no cost to attend.... Continue reading

Daily Breeze reporter John Bogert notices a detail that would authenticate a simulated Italian-American living room. Then he takes a look at the exhibition and the book: With the Italian-American and Italian immigrant population in L.A. County numbering 300,000, concerned Italian-Americans like Gatto and Buscaino decided that it was time to remind ourselves of a now nearly forgotten era that is best summed up by the exhibit's title, "Sunshine and Struggle: The Italian Experience In Los Angeles, 1827-1927." Actually, that experience started with the first European exploration of Alta California when Father Marco da Nizza arrived in the company of... Continue reading

Los Angeles City Councilwoman Janice Hahn, Mariela Salvatore from the Office of Italian Consul General Nicola Faganello, exhibition sponsor Eric Eisenberg, San Pedro luminaries Joe Buscaino, Anthony Pirozzi, Helene Pizzini, Carmela and Gianni Funicello pose with members of the Italian American Museum board Paul Pagnone, Doug Pozzo, John Rotondi, Roger Vitti with curator Marianna Gatto at the opening of "Sunshine and Struggle." (Photo courtesy of Joseph Gatto and Al Fasani.) Darrell Fusaro of i-Italy surveyed "“Sunshine & Struggle, The Italian Experience In Los Angeles, 1827 – 1927" and read "Los Angeles's Little Italy." He writes: "So many may be very... Continue reading

The witty and ever present Alysia Gray Painter, writer of all thing L.A. on nbclosangeles.com, peeks inside Los Angeles's Little Italy. Addressing L.A's "Food Lovers, History Aficionados, People Who Have to Know What Used to Be on Every Corner of Our Storied Megalopolis," Painter says: Visitors see Little Tokyo and Little Ethiopia, and they often ask where LA's Little Italy is, or was. They want to know more of the story of our city's first Italian immigrants, their businesses, how they impacted what Los Angeles would become. Author Mariann Gatto looks back -- way back, to the 1800s -- and... Continue reading

Please join the Italian American Museum of Los Angeles, Hon. Nicola Faganello, Consul General of Italy, Los Angeles City Councilwoman Janice Hahn, the San Pedro Chamber of Commerce, Eric Eisenberg, the Italian American Club of San Pedro and Ischia-San Pedro-Los Angeles Sister City Foundation on Sunday, December 6, 2009 from 5-7 PM for a historical presentation on the Italians of Los Angeles as part of the Sunshine and Struggle Exhibition. 447 West 6th Street, San Pedro, 90731. For Information: msgatto@earthlink.net or www.italianhall.org Continue reading

Los Angeles's Little Italy presents a history of the city's vibrant Italian enclave during the 100-year period following the arrival of the city's first Italian pioneer in 1827. While Los Angeles possesses the nation's fifth-largest Italian population today, little is known about its Italian history, which has been examined by only a handful of historians over the past 50 years. Much of historic Little Italy has been erased from the map or is masked by subsequent ethnic settlements. However, the community's memory lives on. From pioneer agriculturalists and winemakers to philanthropists and eccentric personalities, Italian Americans left a lasting impression... Continue reading

On Friday, October 9, 2009, The Los Angeles City Council declared October “Italian Heritage Month.” Present to commemorate this special occasion were Consul General of Italy Hon. Nicola Faganello, members of the Italian entertainment and business community, and representatives of Italian organizations including the National Italian American Foundation, Order of Sons of Italy in America, Italian American Museum of Los Angeles, and many more. Festivities were held at John Ferraro Council Chambers, where Councilman Tom LaBonge presented attendees with a "Little Italy" street sign. Currently, an excess of 100,000 Italians live in the City of Los Angeles. Metropolitan Los Angeles... Continue reading

A Taste of Italy at the Pico House. On Saturday, June 27th at El Pueblo Historical Monument’s Pico House in Los Angeles’ historic Little Italy, the Historic Italian Hall Foundation presented "A Taste of Italy Los Angeles," an evening of authentic cuisine, fine wine and Italian culture. More than two dozen restaurants and wineries participated in the event, which benefited the Italian American Museum of Los Angeles. The 500+ attendees walked away with content bellies and a greater awareness of our city’s diverse history. Continue reading

The landmark "Sunshine and Struggle: The Italian Experience in Los Angeles 1827-1927" exhibit exploring the largely unknown history of Italians in Los Angeles debuted at the Capital Museum in Sacramento in October 2009. The exhibit written and curated by Mariann Gatto, and presented by the Italian American Museum of Los Angeles, was a collaboration with the Italian American Members of the California Legislature Assemblymembers Tom Ammiano, Cathleen Galgiani, Jerry Hill, Roger Niello, and Anthony J. Portantino"Sunshine and Struggle" drew thousands of visitors. Continue reading

On Friday, October 9, 2009, The Los Angeles City Council declared October “Italian Heritage Month.” Present to commemorate this special occasion were Consul General of Italy Hon. Nicola Faganello, members of the Italian entertainment and business community, and representatives of Italian organizations including the National Italian American Foundation, Order of Sons of Italy in America, Italian American Museum of Los Angeles, and many more. Festivities were held at John Ferraro Council Chambers, where Councilman Tom LaBonge presented attendees with a "Little Italy" street sign. Currently, an excess of 100,000 Italians live in the City of Los Angeles. Metropolitan Los Angeles... Continue reading

A Taste of Italy at the Pico House. On Saturday, June 27th at El Pueblo Historical Monument’s Pico House in Los Angeles’ historic Little Italy, the Historic Italian Hall Foundation presented "A Taste of Italy Los Angeles," an evening of authentic cuisine, fine wine and Italian culture. More than two dozen restaurants and wineries participated in the event, which benefited the Italian American Museum of Los Angeles. The 500+ attendees walked away with content bellies and a greater awareness of our city’s diverse history. Continue reading

In 2008, Mariann Gatto received the Columbian Woman of the Year Award. The award is bestowed annually upon an American-born individual of Italian extraction whose achievements have given "luster to Italy and to the Italo-American community" and who has promoted goodwill and demonstrated a dedication to the Italian community. Gatto Honored as 2008 Columbian Woman of the Year Continue reading