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Sons
of Italy Celebrates Centennial
Press
Contact: Kylie Cafiero, (202) 547-2900 kcafiero@osia.org
 WASHINGTON,
D.C. - June 23, 2005 The
Order Sons of Italy in America (OSIA),
the oldest and largest national organization
for men and women of Italian heritage
in the United States officially marked
its 100th anniversary on the same date
and place of its founding June 22 in
New York City's Little Italy.
The celebration
began at the U.S. Custom House at Bowling
Green and included a procession of
active OSIA lodges and a centennial
recommitment ceremony lead by Justice
Frank J. Montemuro, of the Pennsylvania
Supreme Court and an OSIA past national
president.
New York government leaders
addressed the crowd, offering congratulations.
Nassau County Executive Thomas
R. Suozzi spoke on the steps of the U.S. Custom
House and Tony Avella, Chairman
of the Italian American Caucus of the
New York City Council, helped raise
the Italian and United States flags
at Bowling Green.
Later that day, participants
assembled at OSIA's founding site,
203 Grand Street and unveiled a permanent
plaque commemorating the centennial
anniversary.
OSIA was founded in 1905
by Vincenzo Sellaro, M.D. to unite
Italians in America and assist them
in work and education. One hundred
years later, the organization counts
600,000 members and supporters and
700 chapters or lodges across the United
States.
 Since its founding it has established
more than 2,800 lodges in 43 states
and the District of Columbia.
Since its founding, OSIA has donated more than $90 million to education, medical
research and disaster relief.
"Today
we can carry our heads high for we
have lived the dream of Dr. Vincenzo
Sellaro and will continue that dream
with the work OSIA and sharing our
Italian traditions, culture and language"
said Joseph Sciame, OSIA National President.
OSIA
is one of the oldest ethnic organizations
in the country, established before
the NAACP (1909), the Jewish Anti-Defamation
League (1913) and the National Council
of La Raza (1968).
Among the OSIA supporters
were members and officers from the
Grand Lodges of Maryland, Massachusetts,
New Jersey, New
York and Pennsylvania.
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