Historical & Current Events dictionary

Italian American Heritage Month

or Italian Heritage Month [ ih-tal-yuhn uh-mer-i-kuhn her-i-tij muhnth ]

What is Italian American Heritage Month?

Italian American Heritage Month is a month-long observance in the US in celebration of the culture, contributions, and lives of Americans with Italian heritage, including Italian immigrants and their descendants in the US.

It is often observed with educational and cultural events, including celebrations like fairs and parades. Many people also use the Flag of Italy emoji 🇮🇹 and the Spaghetti emoji 🍝 during the month as a way of showing their pride and heritage.

When is Italian American Heritage Month?

Italian American Heritage Month is observed each year in October.

Related words

🇮🇹 Flag of Italy emoji

Where does Italian American Heritage Month come from?

flags of many countries including USA and Italy hoisted in the air, teal filter.

Italian American Heritage Month was first officially declared in 1989, and it has been observed every October since.

October was chosen for Italian American Heritage Month due to Columbus Day being observed on the second Monday in October. Columbus Day commemorates Italian navigator Christopher Columbus, who was among the first Europeans to land in the Americas (in 1492). Celebration of Columbus and his role in the colonization of the Americas is often criticized due to the devastating consequences for Native Americans and Indigenous Peoples. Many people object to the celebration of Columbus Day and instead observe Indigenous Peoples’ Day.

However, Italian American Heritage Month as a whole is seen as a time to appreciate and value the positive contributions of Italian Americans to the history and culture of the United States. Along with celebratory events, its observance often involves educational events, including those that teach about the history of Italian immigration to the US (which began around 1820) and that debunk the negative stereotypes sometimes associated with Italian Americans.

Examples of Italian American Heritage Month

October is National Italian-American Heritage Month in the United States! Please celebrate by reading an Italian-American author-- there are so many of us out there and we all have a wonderful story to tell! #italianamerican #authors #writers #ItalianHeritageMonth
@SLongoWrites, October 1, 2018
Happy Italian-American Heritage and Culture Month. Lady Gaga is currently the most awarded Italian-American artist in history. She’s won many prestigious awards including an Oscar, BAFTA, and 11 Grammys.
@_JamesGtfo, October 7, 2020
She debuted a new show, Jazzy Italian, on October 13, 2019, at Birdland, to another sold out audience, to celebrate Italian American heritage month.
Magda Katz, Times Square Chronicles, October 11, 2020
SEE MORE EXAMPLES

Who uses Italian American Heritage Month?

Did you know … ?

  • Italian Americans are one of the largest ethnic groups in the US. There are more than 20 million Americans of Italian descent.

What are other words used in discussion of Italian American Heritage Month?

Just Added

Midwest nice, brat, Earth Day, yassification, ♈ Aries Emoji

Note

This is not meant to be a formal definition of Italian American Heritage Month like most terms we define on Dictionary.com, but is rather an informal word summary that hopefully touches upon the key aspects of the meaning and usage of Italian American Heritage Month that will help our users expand their word mastery.