The Italian-American Civil Rights League (IACRL) was originally formed as a political advocacy group created in New York City in April 1970. William Santoro, a defense attorney that represented many Colombo crime family figures, was responsible for the legal work that incorporated the league. Its stated goal was to combat pejorative stereotypes about Italian-Americans, but in actuality, it operated as a public relations firm to deny the existence of the American Mafia and improve the image of mobsters.
In April 1970, Joseph Colombo founded the Italian-American Civil Rights League, the month his son Joseph Colombo Jr. was criminally charged with melting down coins for resale as silver ingots.[1] In response, Joseph Colombo Sr. claimed FBI harassment of Italian Americans and, on April 30, 1970, sent 30 picketers outside FBI headquarters at Third Avenue and 69th Street to protest the federal persecution of all Italians everywhere; this went on for weeks.[1] On June 29, 1970, 50,000 people attended the first Italian Unity Day rally in Columbus Circle in New York City.[2][3][4] Footage of the 1970 rally appeared in the film Days of Fury (1979), directed by Fred Warshofsky and hosted by Vincent Price.[5] In February 1971, Colombo Jr. was acquitted of the charge after the chief witness in the trial had been arrested on perjury charges.[6]
The group then turned its attention to what it perceived as cultural slights and discrimination against Italian-Americans, using boycott threats to force Alka-Seltzer and the Ford Motor Company to withdraw television commercials the league objected to. Another group success was that U.S. Attorney GeneralJohn Mitchell ordered the U.S. Justice Department to stop using the word "Mafia" in official documents and press releases.[7] The league also secured an agreement from Albert S. Ruddy, the producer of The Godfather, to omit the terms "Mafia" and "cosa nostra" from the film's dialogue,[8] and succeeded in having Macy's stop selling a board game called The Godfather Game.[4] The League strong-armed merchants and residents in Little Italy to purchase and display league decals opposing the film. The League threatened to shut down the Teamsters, which included the truckers, drivers, and crew members who were essential to making the film.[9] The IACRL boycotted the Ford Motor Company because of its sponsorship of the television show The F.B.I. and its negative references to Italian-Americans as gangsters.[1]
On June 28, 1971, at the second Italian Unity Day rally in Columbus Circle in Manhattan, Colombo was shot three times, once in the head, by Jerome A. Johnson; Johnson was immediately killed by Colombo's bodyguards.[10] Colombo survived the shooting, but was paralyzed;[11] Colombo died seven years later from cardiac arrest due to injuries sustained from the shooting.[10]
By the 2000s, the Italian-American Civil Rights League came to offer various youth and other programs.[12]
^ abc"Small-time mob boss Joe Colombo's great civil rights crusade". nydailnews.com. August 14, 2017. from the original on January 4, 2020. Retrieved January 4, 2020.
^"Thousands of Italians Here Rally Against Ethnic Slurs". The New York Times. June 30, 1970. from the original on January 4, 2020. Retrieved January 4, 2020.
^"Italo-Americans Press Unity Day" (PDF). New York Times. June 18, 1970. from the original on 5 September 2020. Retrieved 9 November 2011.
^ abVincenza Scarpaci (2008). The Journey of the Italians in America. Pelican. ISBN9781455606832. from the original on 2020-09-05. Retrieved 2020-01-04.
^"Watch Days of Fury (1979) on the Internet Archive". 1979.
^"Colombo Acquitted In Conspiracy Case". The New York Times. February 27, 1971. from the original on January 4, 2020. Retrieved January 4, 2020.
^Dreyfuss, Joel (March 27, 1971). "Italian-Americans claim ethnic bias". The Courier-News. Bridgewater, New Jersey.
^Pileggi, Nicholas (August 15, 1971). "The Making of 'The Godfather: Sort of a Home Movie". New York Times. from the original on 13 November 2013. Retrieved 9 November 2011.
^"The Godfather Wars". Vanity Fair. 4 February 2009.
^ ab"Joseph A. Colombo, Sr,. Paralyzed in Shooting at 1971 Rally, Dies". New York Times. May 24, 1978. from the original on December 11, 2019. Retrieved December 16, 2019.
^Farrell, William E. (June 29, 1971). "Colombo Shot, Gunman Slain, at Columbus Circle Rally Site". The New York Times. from the original on December 21, 2017. Retrieved November 3, 2011.
^"Programs". from the original on 2020-01-04. Retrieved 2020-01-04.
Further readingedit
Capria, Don and Anthony Colombo. Colombo: The Unsolved Murder. New York: Unity Press, 2015, ISBN978-0692583241
External linksedit
Official website
, chronicle of 1971 rally in Columbus Circle by the Italian-American Civil Rights League
January 01, 1970
italian, american, civil, rights, league, iacrl, originally, formed, political, advocacy, group, created, york, city, april, 1970, william, santoro, defense, attorney, that, represented, many, colombo, crime, family, figures, responsible, legal, work, that, in. The Italian American Civil Rights League IACRL was originally formed as a political advocacy group created in New York City in April 1970 William Santoro a defense attorney that represented many Colombo crime family figures was responsible for the legal work that incorporated the league Its stated goal was to combat pejorative stereotypes about Italian Americans but in actuality it operated as a public relations firm to deny the existence of the American Mafia and improve the image of mobsters Contents 1 History 2 See also 3 References 4 Further reading 5 External linksHistory editIn April 1970 Joseph Colombo founded the Italian American Civil Rights League the month his son Joseph Colombo Jr was criminally charged with melting down coins for resale as silver ingots 1 In response Joseph Colombo Sr claimed FBI harassment of Italian Americans and on April 30 1970 sent 30 picketers outside FBI headquarters at Third Avenue and 69th Street to protest the federal persecution of all Italians everywhere this went on for weeks 1 On June 29 1970 50 000 people attended the first Italian Unity Day rally in Columbus Circle in New York City 2 3 4 Footage of the 1970 rally appeared in the film Days of Fury 1979 directed by Fred Warshofsky and hosted by Vincent Price 5 In February 1971 Colombo Jr was acquitted of the charge after the chief witness in the trial had been arrested on perjury charges 6 The group then turned its attention to what it perceived as cultural slights and discrimination against Italian Americans using boycott threats to force Alka Seltzer and the Ford Motor Company to withdraw television commercials the league objected to Another group success was that U S Attorney General John Mitchell ordered the U S Justice Department to stop using the word Mafia in official documents and press releases 7 The league also secured an agreement from Albert S Ruddy the producer of The Godfather to omit the terms Mafia and cosa nostra from the film s dialogue 8 and succeeded in having Macy s stop selling a board game called The Godfather Game 4 The League strong armed merchants and residents in Little Italy to purchase and display league decals opposing the film The League threatened to shut down the Teamsters which included the truckers drivers and crew members who were essential to making the film 9 The IACRL boycotted the Ford Motor Company because of its sponsorship of the television show The F B I and its negative references to Italian Americans as gangsters 1 On June 28 1971 at the second Italian Unity Day rally in Columbus Circle in Manhattan Colombo was shot three times once in the head by Jerome A Johnson Johnson was immediately killed by Colombo s bodyguards 10 Colombo survived the shooting but was paralyzed 11 Colombo died seven years later from cardiac arrest due to injuries sustained from the shooting 10 By the 2000s the Italian American Civil Rights League came to offer various youth and other programs 12 See also editAnti Italian racismReferences edit a b c Small time mob boss Joe Colombo s great civil rights crusade nydailnews com August 14 2017 Archived from the original on January 4 2020 Retrieved January 4 2020 Thousands of Italians Here Rally Against Ethnic Slurs The New York Times June 30 1970 Archived from the original on January 4 2020 Retrieved January 4 2020 Italo Americans Press Unity Day PDF New York Times June 18 1970 Archived from the original on 5 September 2020 Retrieved 9 November 2011 a b Vincenza Scarpaci 2008 The Journey of the Italians in America Pelican ISBN 9781455606832 Archived from the original on 2020 09 05 Retrieved 2020 01 04 Watch Days of Fury 1979 on the Internet Archive 1979 Colombo Acquitted In Conspiracy Case The New York Times February 27 1971 Archived from the original on January 4 2020 Retrieved January 4 2020 Dreyfuss Joel March 27 1971 Italian Americans claim ethnic bias The Courier News Bridgewater New Jersey Pileggi Nicholas August 15 1971 The Making of The Godfather Sort of a Home Movie New York Times Archived from the original on 13 November 2013 Retrieved 9 November 2011 The Godfather Wars Vanity Fair 4 February 2009 a b Joseph A Colombo Sr Paralyzed in Shooting at 1971 Rally Dies New York Times May 24 1978 Archived from the original on December 11 2019 Retrieved December 16 2019 Farrell William E June 29 1971 Colombo Shot Gunman Slain at Columbus Circle Rally Site The New York Times Archived from the original on December 21 2017 Retrieved November 3 2011 Programs Archived from the original on 2020 01 04 Retrieved 2020 01 04 Further reading editCapria Don and Anthony Colombo Colombo The Unsolved Murder New York Unity Press 2015 ISBN 978 0692583241External links editOfficial website Crime Library Colombo Family chronicle of 1971 rally in Columbus Circle by the Italian American Civil Rights League Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Italian American Civil Rights League amp oldid 1181712771, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
