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CLUB NEWS
SUMMER 2021 Italian American Digest
Hook and Dr . Kristin Van Hook .
This year has been very different for everyone , especially all of the students who have had many challenges in school and their daily lives . Once again though , the Cefalutana Society did not forget our special upcoming senior at Cabrini High School who will be receiving the Salvadore J . Serio Presidential award . We would like to congratulate Miss Josie Posey . Miss Posey will receive a one-thousand dollar scholarship to help with her senior year expenses . We look forward to hearing her winning essay at our Festa in August .
On St . Joseph ’ s Day , March 19th of this year , our Presidente David Matassa and Presidente Emerito Sal Serio were invited to a very special ceremony in Vicksburg , Mississippi . In 1899 , five Italian immigrants from Cefalu were lynched in Tallulah , Louisiana . This was an horrific act of racism that took the lives of Giuseppe Di Fatta , Pasqual Di Fatta , Francesco Di Fatta , Giovanni
Built in 1908 , inside the Mater Dolorosa Catholic Church , you will find info . & artifacts related to Italian / Sicilian families in the area .
Exhibits : Altar & Stained Glass Statues from Mater Dolorosa Church , Original confessional , Handmade clay oven , Italian veterans exhibit , Photos of area Italian businesses and events , Italian festival posters & more !
INDEPENDENCE ITALIAN CULTURAL MUSEUM
Tours by Appointment | 10:30 to 2:30 pm Saturdays 524 Pine St . Independence , LA 70443
C A L L 9 8 5 - 8 7 8 - 3 7 7 3 ( N O A D M I S S I O N F E E )
Cerami and Rosario Fiduccia . These immigrants all came from Cefalu in the region of Sicily . These men came to America seeking a better life for their families . The men were involved in a confrontation with a local doctor . The town took the men and hung them to die . The men were buried in a Potter ’ s field in Louisiana . Later the Italian Society of Vicksburg reinterred the victims to Cedar Hill Cemetery twenty miles away in Vicksburg , Mississippi . Again these men were buried with no names or markers . Finally , on Friday , March 19th , a historical marker was placed to honor these innocent men . Antoinette Fatta Helton , Linda Fatta Ott , and Deborah Helton Flores who are all descendents of Giuseppe Di Fatta , who had worked tirelessly to make this event happen , sponsored the Historical marker . The Historical marker was placed at the site where their grandfather and the other four men were buried with no recognition or acknowledgement of the social injustice and racism that took place in 1899 .
Finally this past April 17th , the cefalutana Society held its first business meeting in over a year . There were many old and new members in attendance . The first item on the agenda was to elect new officers for 2021 . A motion was made to keep the same slate of officers for the 2021 year . The official list of officers for the 2021 year are Presidente , David Matassa ; Primo Vice-Presidente , Christopher Serio Bardes : Secondo Vice-Presidente , Peter Lamanna , Sr .; Segretaria d ’ Archivista , Rose Brocato ; Tesoriera , Linda Serio ; Segretario di Finanza , Edwin M . “ Ed ” Reeves , Jr .; Grande Maresciallo , Conchetta Lavene ; Segretaria di Corrispondenza , Marie Serio Suggs ; Consigliere , Joseph Taranto ; Dottore , Chris Marascalco Cummins , MD ; Direttore , Kenny Matassa ; Direttrice , Anne Matassa Reeves ; and Direttrice , Carol Serio . We would like to thank all of these officers for their dedication to the Cefalutana Society of New Orleans . At this time there are 147 members of the Cefalutana Society . Other business that day included discussing the current condition of the Cefalutana ’ s Mausoleum located in St . Louis Cemetery III at 3421 Esplanade Avenue , in New Orleans .
The Society would like to put up an iron gate to protect the interior of the mausoleum . Also , necessary upkeep was discussed at the business meeting . Plans for a spaghetti dinner which would possibly be held in the fall of 2021 were discussed . More information about these subjects will be coming in the near future . Please take some time to visit our new website at www . cefalusociety . com . This site has been updated with lots of photos and information about the Cefalutana Society of New Orleans . Also , please join the facebook page at Cefalutana Societa ’ for current news and events happening this year . Again , we look forward to a healthy and happy rest of this year with our old and new members .
A presto !