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Sons of Italy Celebrates Brumidi at Capitol
Press
Contact: Kylie Cafiero, (202) 547-2900 kcafiero@osia.org
 WASHINGTON, D.C. - July
27, 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,
was among the honored guests that celebrated
the 200th birthday of artist Constantino
Brumidi at a ceremony in the Capitol
Rotunda yesterday.
In conjunction with
this anniversary celebration, OSIA donated
funds for memorial brochures honoring
the legacy of Constantino Brumidi.
At
the ceremony were U.S. Senators Hillary
Rodham Clinton (D-NY), Michael B. Enzi
(D-WY), Harry Reid (D-NV), Bill Frist
(R-TN) and Ted Stevens (R-AK); and U.S.
Representatives Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ),
Michael Bilirakis (R-FL) and Nancy Pelosi
(D-CA). Former congresswoman and former
ambassador to the Holy See, Linda Boggs
also addressed the crowd that represented
both Italian and Greek American supporters.
 "It is an honor to be here today and
celebrate Brumidi's 200th birthday in
the Capitol beneath his masterpiece,
Apotheosis of George Washington," said
OSIA National President Joseph Sciame. "OSIA
and its members have worked hard, from
letter writing campaigns to signing petitions, to help ensure that Brumidi
earns a place in American history as one of the greatest artists of his time."
Constantino
Brumidi (1805-1880), an immigrant from Italy, born to Greek and Italian parents,
adorned the walls of the U.S. Capitol with frescos between 1855 and 1880.
His work ranges from the Apotheosis of George Washington in the Rotunda, to the
paintings that line what has now become known as the Brumidi Corridors.
OSIA has more than 600,000 members and supporters and a network of more than 700 chapters coast to coast. OSIA works at the community, national and international levels to promote the heritage and culture of an estimated 26 million Italian Americans, the nation's fifth largest ethnic group, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. See www.osia.org.
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