May 24th, 2021
Charleston Library Society, Buxton Books, and the Dante Alighieri Society of Charleston celebrate the release of Italians in the Lowcountry – Sunny Italy’s Charleston Colony.
The sold-out evening includes a discussion by Eugene Massamillo about Italy, Dante Alighieri Society, and the continued cultural presence and importance of Italians in the Lowcountry and in Charleston in particular. Donatella Cappelletti della Porta, president of Dante Alighieri Society Charleston will introduce author Christina Butler presenting a brief illustrated overview of the recently released book. The book utilizes historic documentation, images, and interviews to add the important and diverse stories and experiences of Charleston’s Italians and Italian Americans to the city’s historical narrative. It chronicles the Italian experience from the colonial era to the present, with biographical sketches of noteworthy Italians, discussion of ethnic communities and businesses throughout the city’s history, and the contributions and the current Italian community in the greater Charleston area in the present. A preface from Cristiano Musillo, Consul General of Italy in Miami, and a section on the Spoleto Festival featuring interviews from former Mayor Joseph P. Riley and General Director Nigel Redden, highlight the important cultural contributions that continue today. The evening includes a viewing of Italian rare prints from the CLS special collections, live piano performances, and Italian wine and light snacks.