The Mayor of New Orleans, LaToya Cantrell, issued a proclamation containing the city’s official apology for the dramatic lynching of 11 Italian immigrants on March 14, 1891. The proclamation was read at the headquarters of the American Italian Cultural Center of New Orleans at the presence of Mayor Cantrell and the Italian Consul General in Houston, Federico Ciattaglia.
On this important occasion, the Italian Ambassador to the United States, Armando Varricchio, thanked the Order Sons and Daughters of Italy for their constant efforts to reach this significant goal. The Ambassador emphasized “the great satisfaction of the Italian Government for a gesture that helps to heal a 128 years old wound.
The Italian-American community has helped shape the culture and history of New Orleans, Louisiana and all the USA and provided an invaluable contribution to the progress of this great country”. Today’s proclamation is a particularly appreciated step to preserve the memory of that tragic episode of violence and to prevent similar events from happening again.