The United States of America and Italy have maintained diplomatic relations for over 160 years, and there have been many instances of cultural exchanges between the two countries that have reached the very top levels of government. From collaborations between world leaders to transatlantic visits, here are five historical instances of Italian culture impacting past and present leaders of the free world:
1. President John F. Kennedy recognizes Filippo Mazzei as the inspiration for “All men are created equal” in the Declaration of Independence
Thomas Jefferson may have written the phrase “All men are created equal” into the Declaration of Independence, but the concept that defines American democracy originated from Italian Filippo Mazzei. In 1774, Mazzei wrote a piece for The Virginia Gazette in Italian, which translated to “All men are by nature equally free and independent. Such equality is necessary in order to create a free government. All men must be equal to each other in natural law.”
His contributions were acknowledged by JFK in his book, “A Nation of Immigrants,” when he states that the “great doctrine ‘All men are created equal’ incorporated into the Declaration of Independence by Thomas Jefferson, was paraphrased from the writing of Philip Mazzei, an Italian-born patriot and pamphleteer, who was a close friend of Jefferson. A few alleged scholars try to discredit Mazzei as the creator of this statement and idea, saying that ‘there is no mention of it anywhere until after the Declaration was published.’ This phrase appears in Italian in Mazzei’s own hand, written in Italian, several years prior to the writing of the Declaration of Independence. Mazzei and Jefferson often exchanged ideas about true liberty and freedom. No one man can take complete credit for the ideals of American democracy.”
2. President Warren G. Harding unveils a statue of Dante Alighieri with Italian leaders
The Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs Carlo Schanzer and Ambassador of Italy to the United States Vittorio Rolandi Ricci were visitors to the United States in 1921, coinciding with the initial unveiling of a statue in Meridian Hill Park in honor of Italian poet Dante Alighieri. They were joined by President Harding who received an ovation as American and Italian bands played in concert during this expression of Italian pride.
3. President Donald Trump delivers remarks at a reception in honor of Italy
Joined by Italian President Sergio Mattarella, President Trump had nothing but nice things to say about Italians and their contributions to the fabric of the United States in 2019:
“From the hallowed dome of Saint Peter’s to the beautiful frescos of our own Capitol Building, the Italian heritage has wonderfully shaped all of our country. Indeed, our name, “America,” is derived from the great Italian navigator and mapmaker, Amerigo Vespucci. That’s right.
On Monday, our nation commemorated the legendary achievements of an intrepid Italian explorer: Christopher Columbus. And today, from Columbus Circle — and you know all about Columbus Circle. We love Columbus Circle in New York. And Columbus, Ohio — what a great place that is. To our nation’s capital, the District of Columbia, his memory stands as an enduring testament to the daring spirit that built our great civilization. And as long as I have anything to say about this — and I hope that’s going to be a long time — it will always be Columbus Day.
Since the earliest days of our republic, the United States has also been uplifted by the contributions, sacrifices, and accomplishments of a vibrant, thriving, and proud Italian-American community. You come from a great, great community. Great achievers. Great people.
Italian-Americans have invigorated every aspect of our society, culture, and history, from Frank Sinatra — a friend of mine; to Frank Capra; from Joe DiMaggio — he was a great player, great player; to Vince Lombardi — what a coach; and from Mother Cabrini, to the late, great Justice Antonin Scalia.”
4. President Joe Biden attends the National Italian American Foundation’s 48th Anniversary Gala
President Biden was a surprise guest at NIAF’s annual Gala in 2023, appearing alongside his wife, First Lady Jill Biden, who is of Italian ancestry herself and was scheduled to speak at the event. The president’s remarks were rather brief, but he did try to settle an age-old Italian-American debate by stating “It is not sauce, it’s gravy.” Biden also discussed the large Italian community he encountered in Claymont, Delaware where “if your name didn’t end in ‘o,’ you had a problem.”
5. Installation of Italian statuary marble mantels in the White House
After the Burning of Washington in 1814 where the White House became engulfed in flames during an invasion by the British, Italian “statuary marble” mantels were installed in the building in 1819 during its reconstruction. Originally located in the east and west ends of the State Dining Room, they were moved to the Green and Red Rooms during President Theodore Roosevelt’s remodeling of the “President’s Palace” and are still there to this day.
Resources:
- Italy in the White House [The White House Historical Association]
