Il Progresso Italo-Americano
Il Progresso Italo-Americano was an Italian-language daily newspaper in the United States, published in New York City from 1880 to 1988, when it was shut down due to a union dispute. In 1989, most journalists of "Il Progresso" reunited to create a new daily, America Oggi. In the early 20th century "Il Progresso" was the most popular of New York's Italian newspapers, selling anywhere from 90,000 to 100,000 copies every day.
Founded in 1879 by Carlo Barsotti and Vincenzo Polidori, who were also the first editors, Il Progresso Italo-Americano was a bully pulpit for raising funds for monuments by public subscription in the city of New York. From 1888 to 1921 it promoted monuments to Giuseppe Garibaldi, Christopher Columbus, Giuseppe Verdi, Giovanni da Verrazzano and Dante.
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 1889-1976 is now available on microfilm at the John D. Calandra Italian American Institute in NYC.
