PENNSYLVANIA, September 29 - and

WHEREAS, A feudal society, high unemployment and oppressive

taxes coupled with natural disasters, disease, poverty and

famine, gave many reasons for Italians to look for freedom and

opportunities abroad; and

WHEREAS, While educated Italian professionals also emigrated,

many Italian immigrants arrived relatively unskilled, but soon

helped fuel a booming industrial economy by providing labor for

American factories and mines and helping to build roads, dams,

tunnels and other infrastructure; and

WHEREAS, As Italian Americans began settling in the country's

major cities, they faced religious and ethnic discrimination

which occasionally led to brutal violence; and

WHEREAS, For this reason, Italian Americans started

celebrating the life and accomplishments of Christopher Columbus

as a way for residents of Italian descent to be accepted by

their new homeland; and

WHEREAS, In 1937, President Franklin D. Roosevelt proclaimed

Columbus Day as a national holiday; and

WHEREAS, We credit Christopher Columbus with Italian

immigration to the New World and what is now Pennsylvania; and

WHEREAS, Currently, there are more than 16 million Americans

of Italian heritage in the United States and more than 1.4

million Americans of Italian heritage residing in Pennsylvania;

and

WHEREAS, In 1905, the Order Sons of Italy in America was

formed, with the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania to follow in 1913;

and

WHEREAS, Their successors, the State Lodge of Pennsylvania,

Order Sons and Daughters of Italy in America and the Grand Lodge

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