From Teaching Italian to Practicing Citizenship

Fellow in Italian American Studies, NYU In ENGLISH The history of Italian teaching in New York is also a history of democratic citizenship. Through Leonard Covello and Benjamin Franklin High School in East Harlem, historian Vanessa Roghi tells a story that remains, in many respects, little known: how teaching Italian became part of the everyday work of building a community school. Italian connected classrooms with families and neighborhood life, giving students opportunities to explore their histories and take part in shaping the community they shared. Drawing on classroom activities and projects involving students, teachers, and parents, the lecture explores how learning a language could become a practice of democratic participation. Vito Marcantonio’s commitment to East Harlem forms part of this story of education and citizenship. Photograph: Leonard Covello photographs [PG107], Historical Society of Pennsylvania.