By far the most frequently used sites by Italians in Los Angeles for social and cultural events are Casa Italiana (in Chinatown) and the Istituto Italiano di Cultura (the Italian Cultural Institute, Westwood). While the first tends to host banquets, Italian associations’ monthly meetings, St. Joseph’s Day Tables (See: CELEBRATION, Folk Festival), patron feast days, and Opera productions, the Westwood institute, the IIC (the Cultural office of the Italian Government abroad) promotes Italian (rather than Italian American) cultural activity and caters to a Westside crowd. The first is generally associated with the established Italian Americans community while the later with a more contemporary Italy-centric cultural milieu.
A Bit of History: The Scalabrini Order and the Italian Community. The Missionaries of St. Charles (Carlo Borromeo, 1538-1584; Giovanni Battista Scalabrini, 1839-1905), known as the Scalabrini Fathers or Scalabrinians (an order, founded in 1887 to serve the needs of immigrants, and today continues to serve migrants and refugees), have provided leadership on many fronts within the Italian community, besides the strictly religious. Since 1972, they have administered St. Peter’s Italian Church, focusing on social and cultural programs, as well as the pastoral. They managed l’Italo-Americano for decades
(See: MEDIA, Publications, Newspapers), organized Italian classes, encouraged traditional patron saint day observances and other traditions. Under the energetic leadership of Father Donanzan, they were, in the 1970s and 1980s, one of the major unifying forces in the local Italian community. The Scalabrinians undertook the rebuilding of Casa Italiana, increased attendance at St. Peter’s Italian Church (the only national parish in the diocese), and built Villa Scalabrini (the retirement center for Italian seniors in Sun Valley; cf. monument to the Italian immigrant). The fundraising campaigns for these projects are remembered as rare occasions of Italians rallying behind a common cause.
(see: INSTITUTIONS, Italian Government Offices)
Churches, St. Peter’s Italian Catholic Church in downtown Los Angeles, and Mary Star of the Sea Church, San Pedro, are primary sites for religiously-related events (See: RELIGION; CLUBS & ASSOCIATIONS, Religious Associations). But Casa Italiana also hosts Opera productions, meetings, dinner dances of the various organizations, from the Sons of Italy and the Italian Lawyers Association, to the Federated Italo-Americans of Southern California.
St. Peter’s Italian Catholic Church:
Detail of altar, St. Peter (a “fisher of
men”) in a boat
St. Peter’s Church (& Casa Italiana)
1051 N. Broadway
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Tel: 323-225-8119
Fax: 323-225-0085
Donna Angiuli, Administrator
(See: RELIGION: St. Peter’s Italian Catholic Church)
Mary Star of the Sea Church
870 8th St.
San Pedro, CA 90731
Tel: (310) 833-3541
Fax: (310) 833-9254
email: office@marystar.org
Recently other centers of social and cultural activity have been gaining prominence. The Historic Italian Hall Foundation (El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument), has recently restored the Italian Hall (historically, the social center of the early Italian community), and continues to work on the project of creating an Italian American Museum in the heart of Los Angeles.
A bequest by George L. Graziadio, with funds from other local organizations, (e.g., Frank De Santis, former OSIA president, see: CLUBS AND ORGANIZATIONS), made possible the endowment of a Chair in Italian Studies at California State University, Long Beach. The Graziadio Center for Italian Studies organizes community events at the University—a rare meeting of town and gown among Italians!
A few Italian organizations have their own meeting places which serve a variety of social and program needs: Orange County American Italian Renaissance Foundation, the Italian American Club of San Pedro, the Garibaldina Society.
A Bit of History: Italian Hall in the Heart of the Pueblo.The official inauguration of the Italian Hall (est. 1907) as the first Italian American Museum in Los Angeles was held during the summer of 2004. Italian Hall, still undergoing repairs and restoration, is now part of the city-owned El Pueblo de Los Angeles in downtown Los Angeles near the art deco train station, Union Station, and next to Olvera Street, a prime tourist destination. See:
The George L. Graziadio Center for Italian Studies
California State University, Long Beach
1250 Bellflower Blvd.
Long Beach, CA 90840-2406
Tel: (562) 985-4111
Fax: 562-985-2406
Historic Italian Hall in El Pueblo
Italian Hall
C/o Historic Italian Hall Foundation
(El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument)
125 Paseo de la Plaza
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Tel: 323-257-9400
Fax: 323-256-1383
Nick Costantini President: ndcosta@aol.com
(DVD video of the dedication of Mille Grazie Wall and history of the Historic Italian Hall and Museum, Italian Hall, P.O., Box 92465, Pasadena, CA 91109)
Italian American Club
1903 S. Cabrillo Ave. (at 19th)
San Pedro, CA
Tel: (310) 831-3183
Garibaldina Society
4533 N. Figueroa
Los Angeles, CA
Orange County American Italian Renaissance Foundation
1950 Old Tustin Ave.
Santa Ana, CA 92705
Tel: (714) 836-4655
Fax: (714) 550-9234…