(updated Feb 1, 2026)

A running list of Italians who have impacted and influenced our daily lives.

Hello, friends –

The Italian American Human Relations Foundation of Chicago proudly recognizes Italian Heritage Month every October, by recognizing Italians and Italian American who have impacted and influenced our everyday lives. We will continue to celebrate, remind, and educate a history that the media has fallen short in memorializing. The following is only a partial list of prominent Italian notables:

Giacomo Puccini

Renowned for the compositions of operas such as La Boheme, Tosca and Madame Butterfly. He is considered one of the greatest composers of operatic realism, and is regarded as the greatest and most successful proponent of Italian opera after Giuseppi Verdi.

Amadeo Giannini

Founded the Bank of Italy which eventually became the Bank of America.
He is credited as the inventor of many modern banking practices. Most notably, he was one of the first bankers to offer banking services to middle class Americans. He also pioneered the holding company structure and established one of the first modern trans-national institutions.

Enrico Fermi

Renowned for being the creator of the world’s first artificial nuclear reactor. He has been called the architect of the nuclear age and the architect of the atomic bomb.

Harry Warren (Born Salvatore Antonio Guaragna)
One of America’s most prolific music composers and first major American song writer to write primarily for film. Nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song eleven times and won 3 Oscars for composing LULLABY OF BRAODWAY, YOU’LL NEVER KNOW and ON THE ATCHISON, TOPEKA AND THE SANTA FE. Other well-known Warren hits include: I ONLY HAVE EYES FOR YOU, YOU MUST HAVE BEEN A BEAUTIFUL BABY, THAT’S AMORE, THE MORE I SEE YOU and AT LAST. His songs have been featured in over 300 films.

Filippo Mazzei

Italian physician, diplomat and author…supporter of the American Revolution, whose writings led Thomas Jefferson to include “all men are created equal” in the Declaration of Independence.

James Ceasar Petrillo

Served as president of the American Federation of Musicians from 1940 to 1958. Initiated free summer concerts in Grant Park, a practice that has continued since 1936. Established the Music Performance Trust Fund which paid for free benefit concerts across the United States. In fact, the fund still exists and to this day 2 cents from every form of music purchased, whether it be sheet music, records, tapes, etc. goes into that fund to provide the free music concerts enjoyed by attendees across the country.

 Billy Martin

Born to Alfred and Joan Pesano.

Major league second baseman for the New York Yankees and went on to manage the Yankees on five different stints. Known for his feistiness and brilliant baseball managerial strategy.

Mother Frances Xavior Cabrini

Born in Italy and migrated to the United States in 1889 by direction of Pope XIII.

Founded the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and is responsible for establishing 67 institutions consisting of hospitals, orphanages and schools for immigrants particularly in the United States. First United States citizen to be canonized a saint. Known as the Patron Saint of immigrants.

Guglielmo Marconi

Invented the first practical radio.

Created the first successful commercial wireless telegraph system.

Charles Joseph Bonaparte

The FBI was formed by the then United States Attorney General, Charles Bonaparte in 1908.

Roberta Guaspari

An American violinist and music educator. She is the subject of the film “Music of the Heart” which tells story of her struggle to keep music alive in the inner city of New York. All great role models whose influence and genius still affects American lives. However, the media didn’t think they and those like them should have been talked about in October….Italian Heritage Month.

Al Smith

His father’s surname was Ferraro. 42nd governor of New York. 1st Roman Catholic to be nominated for president by a major party (Democrat).

Peter Rodino Jr.

U.S. Congressman, 1949 to 1989, New Jersey. Chaired the House Judiciary Committee overseeing the impeachment of Richard Nixon.

In 1968, the bill that made Columbus Day a national holiday and designated the 2nd Monday in October as a Federal Holiday in 1971. One should read his remarks on the celebration of Columbus Day.

Alecia Keys

Born Alicia Augello Cook. Classically trained pianist who began composing music at the age of 12. She is a 15 time Grammy Award winning singer, song writer, musician, producer and actress. Credits her single mother, Terria, who inspired her love for music and performing.

Antonio Meucci

Credited with developing the 1st talking “telegraph” or telephone. He created a working model in 1856 and filed a preliminary patent caveat in 1871. He was unable to afford to renew his caveat or secure a full patent due to financial hardship which allowed Alexander Graham Bell to obtain a patent for the telephone in 1876. In 2002, the House of Representatives passed a resolution officially recognizing Meucci’s work in the invention of the telephone.

Frank Sinatra

Really ????  

NOT A WORD ABOUT FRANK SINATRA IN OCTOBER….”ITALIAN HERITAGE MONTH”.

Evangelista Torrticelli
Born in Rome Italy. Physicist and mathematician. Best known for the invention of the barometer. Also known for his advances in optics.

Lou Costello
Born Louis Francis Cristillo. Was an American comedian, actor and producer, appeared in 37 movies.. Best known as half of the comedy team ABBOTT AND COSTELLO. Most famous for the classic comedy routine “WHO’S ON FIRST”.

Bartolomeo Cristofori
Born in Padua, Italy in 1655. Maker of musical instruments, famous for inventing the piano and the oval spinet. INVENTED THE PIANO !!!!!! Yet never mentioned in Italian Heritage Month!

Lido Anthony Iacocco
Lee Iacocco, an American author, engineer an executive. Developed the Ford Mustang, the Continental Mark III and the Ford Pinto while at the Ford Motor Co. In the 1960s. Then revived the Chrysler Corporation as its CEO during the 1980s in what experts called one of the most brilliant turnarounds in business history. Famous for his quote “I hire people brighter than me and then I get out of their way”. Appointed by President Ronald Reagan to spearhead the massive private fundraising effort for the restoration of the Statue of Liberty. He raised over $350 million from the American public for the project.

Pierino Ronald “Perry” Como
American singer, actor and television personality. Recorded hundreds of songs including 14 # 1 hits. And 52 albums and sold over 100 million records in his 5-decade career. Was credited for popularizing the tv musical variety format, hosting guest performances with the likes of Pearl Bailey, Johnny Mercer, Vic Damone, and Ginger Rogers.

Alesandro Volta
Born in Como, Italy in 1745. Italian chemist and physicist. Pioneer of electricity and power. Credited as the inventor of the electric battery and the discoverer of methane.

Frank Capra
Italian American film director, producer and screen writer. Creative force behind several major award winning films in the 1930s and 1940s, including “It’s a Wonderful Life”, “It Happened One Night”, “Mr. Smith Goes “. Six-time Academy Award nominee for Best Director. Received the award three times. Also received the Golden Globe in the same category.

MORE THAN 750,000 ITALIAN AMERICANS SERVED IN WWII.Despite facing discrimination as “enemy aliens” early in the war. The U.S. government interned thousands of Italian immigrants and subjected over 600,000 to restrictions, curfews, and property seizures despite their U.S. citizenship. Italian Americans served and fought with distinction with 14 earning the Medal of Honor…… John Basilone, United States Marine Corps gunnery sergeant…..received the Medal of Honor for actions during the Guadalcanal Campaign. Research him…His story is amazing.

Anne Bancroft
Born Anna Maria Louisa Italiano. Academy Award wining actress known for her versatility and acting talent. Also won 2 Golden Globes, 2 Tonys, 2 prime Time Emmys, 3 BAFTA Awards and a Cannes Film Festival Award. One of only 24 to have received the Triple Crown of Acting.

Michaelangelo
Honest!  Nobody in the media made reference to the genius of Michaelangelo during Italian Heritage month. Italian sculptor, painter, architect and poet of the High Renaissance during the 16th century. Sculpted the PIETA and DAVID before the age of 30. Created 2 of the most influential frescoes in the history of Western art: the scenes from Genisis on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in Rome and The Last Judgement on its altar wall. At the age of 71, he succeeded Antonio de Sangallo as the architect of St. Peter’s Basilica.

Larry Wert

Served as President of Broadcast Media for Tribune Media. Served as President and General Manager of NBC 5/WMAQ-TV. Named Broadcaster of the Year by the Illinois Broadcasters Association. Under his leadership, NBC 5 became one of the top award-winning news stations in the market. He helped launch Chicago’s 1st street-side TV studio and joined with Telemundo to create the city’s 1st co-located, bilingual tv newsroom. Paternal grandfather…Lorenzo Damore. Paternal grandmother…Theresa Latoria.

Henri de Tonti
Enrico Tonti was an Italian born French military officer and explorer who assisted in the French colonization of America. Called the “Father of Arkansas” for his role in establishing the first permanent European settlement circa 1686. In June of 2023, the “brilliant” members of the Chicago Board of Education removed his name from the Tonti Elementary School as part of a new diversity policy…

Dr. Maria Montessori
Italian physician and educator. Best known for her philosophy of education. First woman to practice medicine in Italy. Her “Montessori Method ” of education is practiced in over 5000 schools in the United States’

John Cabot
I was 15 years old when I became aware that John Cabot was not British and that he was born to the name of Giovanni Caboto. Somehow, U.S. history books changed his name to John Cabot, probably because he sailed under the English flag at the commission of Henry the VII. Born in Gaeta, Italy….. An Italian explorer and navigator, he is credited with the earliest known European exploration of coastal North America since the 11th century.

Johnny Puleo
American musician and actor who specialized playing the harmonica.
Born a dwarf in Washington D.C. , his talent was discovered at a contest in Boston. He eventually formed his own harmonica band (Johnny Puleo and His Harmonica Gang) which included his mastery of mime and comedy. The act appeared in many Las Vegas night clubs and  in guest appearances on many tv variety shows. Take the time to Google or YouTube his tv appearances, especially his skit on the Milton Berle Hollywood Palace Show from 1965… A great talent….

Vince Lombardi
American football coach and executive.
Considered by many to be among the greatest coaches and leaders in American sports. Head coach for the Green Bay Packers during the 1960’s where he led team to3 strait and 5toal NFL Championships in addition to winning the 1st two Super Bowls. The Super Bowl trophy is named in his honor.

Rita Levi-Montalcini    Maria Luisa Gorno Tempini     Fiorenza Micheli
These researchers are recognized for high impact publications and contributions to global science, including studies on Alzheimer’s and environmental sciences.

Mary Lou Retton
Retired American gymnast and Olympic Gold Medalist. In the 1984 Los Angeles summer Olympics, she won the gold metal in the individual all-around competition as well as 2 silver medals and 2 bronze medals which earned her the Sports Illustrated Sportswoman of the Year Award.

St. Catherine of Siena  1347-1380
Mystic and Doctor of the Church known for her profound influence on 14th century politics and theology. She successfully urged Pope Gregory XI to return the papacy from Avignon to Rome and was recognized for her intense spirituality, including visions and the stigmata.
She was the 24th of 25 children and became a Dominican lay person at the age of15. She was canonized in1461 by Pope Paul VI for her significant contributions to theology. She is the patron saint of Italy (along with St. Francis of Assisi).
Also the patron saint of Rome, nursing and …….are you ready?…..THE MEDIA !!. How ironic…the media… they probably don’t even know she existed.
A women in the 14th century….advised popes, kings and queens in her short life of 33 years…. No Movie, no documentary, no nothing on Catherine of Siena….
March is designated Female History Month…. she was no Jane Fonda and never burned her bra, but maybe they will recognize her anyway!

Please watch for more information on the Italian legacy.

Lou Rago