Fra Noi Embrace Your Inner Italian
On Nov. 10, Com.It.Es (Comitato degli italiani all’estero) organized a pilgrimage to the town of Cherry, Illinois, on the 115th anniversary of the 1909 mine disaster that took the lives of 250 souls, 73 of whom were Italian immigrants.
A group of 28 in the company of Italian Consul General Mario Bartoli traveled by bus to the tiny town 100 miles southwest of Chicago. The pilgrimage included a visit to the mine site, the Cherry Mine Disaster Museum and Library, and the cemetery, where Bartoli laid a wreath at the monument honoring those who had perished.
The disaster remains largely unknown within the larger Italian and Italian-American community, even though the disaster ranks among the worst in the history in terms of the loss of Italian lives. The trip was organized in part to help our community and the Italian government become aware of the sacrifices our ancestors made right in our own backyard.
Our consul general was honored to be a part of the pilgrimage, especially given how involved his office was in the monumental task of helping the victims’ families. The consul general at the time, Guido Sabetta, informed them that the Italian government would provide steamship tickets for those who wanted to return to Italy and find employment for those who decided to remain here.
Our thanks to the citizens of Cherry for their gracious hospitality and for their commitment to keeping the memory of this tragedy alive, and a special thanks to our tour guide, Susan Hoff, for her expertise and personal family stories.
— Carlo Vaniglia
