 | |
| Type | Dailynewspaper |
|---|---|
| Owner(s) | Carlo Barsotti Generoso Pope |
| Founded | 1880; 145 years ago (1880) |
| Ceased publication | 1988 |
| Headquarters | New York City,New York, United States |
Il Progresso Italo-Americano was anItalian-language daily newspaper in the United States, published inNew York City from 1880 to 1988, when it was shut down due to a union dispute. In 1989, most journalists ofIl Progresso reunited to create a new daily,America Oggi. In the early 20th centuryIl Progresso was the most popular of New York's Italian newspapers, selling anywhere from 90,000 to 100,000 copies every day.[1]
In September 1880,Carlo Barsotti, along with Vincenzo Polidori, foundedIl Progresso Italo-Americano in New York City – the first Italian-language daily newspaper in the United States. Its inaugural issue was published on September 29, 1880. The paper quickly grew to become the most widely circulated foreign-language newspaper in the city.[2][3]
Il Progresso was established as a direct challenge to Giovanni Francesco Secchi de Casali’s weeklyL'Eco d'Italia. De Casali had dismissed Barsotti's reports on the efforts of an Italian American committee formed in response to the 1880 death sentence ofPietro Balbo, convicted of murdering his wife. Frustrated that the only Italian newspaper in New York showed no concern for the fate of a compatriot facing execution, Barsotti resolved to create a more engaged and outspoken daily.[3][4] In its earliest form, the newspaper was literally "run by hand." It began as a short, handwritten report in Italian on the Pietro Balbo trial, written with a fountain pen and posted outside Barsotti’s shop near Mulberry Street. So many people gathered to read it that Barsotti began producing multiple handwritten copies, which he sold to the growing audience.[3][4]
To manage the paper's operations, Barsotti hiredAdolfo Rossi, a recent immigrant from Italy with no prior experience in journalism. Despite his inexperience, Rossi proved highly capable and helped turnIl Progresso into a thriving publication as its editor-in-chief.[3][4] Rossi assumed the role of editor-in-chief on December 6, 1880. After a brief one-day interruption, the paper reappeared on December 23 with a new title,Il Progresso Italo-Americano, along with a redesigned format and masthead. It would retain this name until 1988, whenAmerica Oggi took up its legacy. At the time, New York’s Italian community numbered around 25,000, many of whom were illiterate. Nonetheless, the newspaper managed to survive, largely sustained by advertising revenue.[3][4]
Rossi, hired as a jack-of-all-trades, worked from 9 a.m. to midnight, serving as both editor and sole correspondent. He faced numerous challenges: a minimal staff, printers unfamiliar with Italian who introduced frequent errors, and the logistical hurdles of daily production. Rossi translated local news from English, adapted content from Italian sources, proofread each edition, and handled the layout. He later recounted these early, chaotic days in his 1892 memoir,Un italiano in America (An Italian in America).[3][4] The newspaper consisted of four pages: two were entirely devoted to advertisements, while the remaining two focused on news from Italy. The front page featured the latest transatlantic dispatches, translated from English, alongside a brief editorial and a summary of American news.[3][4]
Il Progresso was abully pulpit for raising funds for monuments by public subscription in the city of New York. From 1888 to 1921 it promoted monuments toGiuseppe Garibaldi,Christopher Columbus,Giuseppe Verdi,Giovanni da Verrazzano andDante.
After Barsotti's death,Generoso Pope assumed the direction of the newspaper in 1928, after buying it for $2,052,000. He doubled its circulation to 200,000 in New York City, making it the largest Italian-language daily in the country. The newspaper from 1889 to 1976 is now available on microfilm at the John D. Calandra Italian American Institute in NYC.
The newspaper published sympathetic coverage ofBenito Mussolini and portrayed theItalian invasion of Ethiopia as a war between the civilised Italians and savage Ethiopians.[5][6] Between 1941 and 1945, Il Progresso worked to spotlight the contributions of Italian-Americans serving in the U.S. armed forces and their role in securing victory during the war.[1]
In May 2022, New York–based North Sixth Group invested in the revival ofIl Progresso Italo-Americano and integrated it intoAmerica Domani, orAmerica Tomorrow, a digital media community for Italian Americans. Publishing industry veteran Al DiGuido was named Publisher & CEO.
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