2) As many of you know, during Italian American Heritage Month (October), CSJ liaisons collaborate with local libraries to display materials highlighting the contributions Italians made to the building of our country.  One of our members was denied displaying such material at the New Amsterdam Branch in NYC and the Battary Park City Branch.On Friday, November 7, Commission for Social Justice President John A. Fratta, wrote to Anthony W. Marx, President and CEO of the New York Public Library, in response to their refusal to display Italian American Heritage Month-themed materials from the Order Sons and Daughters of Italy in America due to its support for Christopher Columbus.

"This response is unacceptable from an institution receiving government funds and is an affront to the Italian American community," wrote Fratta in the letter, urging Marx to issue an apology and to display Italian American materials in all libraries throughout New York City next October. 

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3) Ohio Congressman Mike Rulli (OH-06) introduced the “Italian Heroes and Heritage Act” to Protect Columbus Day and Honor Italian American Legacy! The bill prohibits federal funds from being distributed to any state or local government that replaces Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples Day. It reaffirms the nation’s commitment to recognizing the generations of Italian Americans whose courage, sacrifice, and hard work have helped shape the United States. Please click here for further details about this bill: https://rulli.house.gov/2025/10/16/rulli-introduces-italian-heroes-and-heritage-act-to-protect-columbus-day-and-honor-italian-american-legacy/
To follow the progress of this bill visit: https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/5739

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4) Courage and Conviction: The True Story of Christopher Columbus is a thorough examination of the life and legacy of the fearless discoverer of America. Through expert interviews and archival footage, we look at the origins of Columbus Day and the symbolic role that Columbus has for Catholic immigrants, especially Italian Americans. Finally, the film addresses the current indictments against Christopher Columbus with boldness and exposes the motives behind the attacks of revisionist historians. Courage and Conviction shows why Christopher Columbus remains not only a man worthy of admiration, but a noble icon of what it means to be a Catholic and an American.  The video can be seen on YouTube: https://youtu.be/esTeV5pom04?si=3v6eh4nmmjn-D8qS