Marie Frugone

Marie Frugone (1889 – June 16, 1953), later Marie Frugone Scileppi, was an American journalist and community leader, who wrote for the Brooklyn Daily Eagle and the Brooklyn Times-Union in the 1930s. She worked with the Red Cross in France and Italy during World War I.

Marie Frugone
Marie Frugone, from a 1918 publication.
Born	1889 New York City, US
Died	June 16, 1953 New York City, US
Occupation(s)	Journalist, community leader

Early life

Marie Frugone was born in Brooklyn, the daughter of Frank L. Frugone and Rosa Varni Frugone. Her father, who was born in Italy, was publisher of the Bolletino Della Sera, an Italian-language newspaper in New York.^[1][2]

Career

 

Marie Frugone in her Red Cross uniform, from a 1920 publication.

Frugone was secretary to the Sheriff of Kings County.^[3] She advocated for Italian-American culture and residents of Brooklyn.^[4][5] She worked with the Red Cross in France and Italy during World War I, using her Italian language skills as "interpreter, entertainer, and nurse"^[6] in tuberculosis hospitals.^[1][2] She was decorated by the Italian Red Cross and the American Red Cross for her wartime service.^[3] After the war, she was active in the Italian World War Veterans' Committee.^[3]

In 1920, Frugone campaigned for Warren G. Harding,^[7] and was a member of the Naturalization Committee of the Overseas Girls, women volunteering to do clerical work to help clear paperwork overloads and speed the legal processes for immigrants.^[8] One report said that she helped over a thousand people a year become United States citizens.^[9]

Frugone started her journalism career at her father's newspaper before World War I.^[3] She wrote about women and politics for the Times Union^[10] and Brooklyn Daily Eagle newspapers in the 1920s^[11] and 1930s,^[12][13] in a column titled "With the Women Voters".^[14][15] In 1937, her column was renamed "With the Women's Clubs".^[16]

Frugone was director of the Little Italy Neighborhood House and the Richmond Hill Settlement House in Queens.^[3] She chaired the Brooklyn branch of the Italian Welfare League,^[17] the Women's Auxiliary of the United Italian Social Service Foundation,^[18] and the Women's Auxiliary of the Boys Club of the Navy Yard district.^[19][20]

Personal life

Marie Frugone married Francis Paul Scileppi in 1924.^[21] They had a daughter, Francine Scileppi Petruzzi,^[22][23] born a few months after Francis died in 1926.^[24] Marie Frugone Scileppi died in 1953, aged 64 years,^[25] in Brooklyn.^[26]

References

1. "Craftsmen with the Colors". Fourth Estate: 15. March 23, 1918.
2. "Requiem Tomorrow for Frank Frugone". Times Union. 1936-11-13. p. 28. Retrieved 2020-04-29 – via Newspapers.com.
3. "Sixty Women Join Commerce Chamber". The Standard Union. 1922-11-26. p. 10. Retrieved 2020-04-29 – via Newspapers.com.
4. "TEA FOR DANCE SPONSORS; Miss Marie Frugone to Be Hostess Next Wednesday". The New York Times. 1937-03-07. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-04-29.
5. "Italian Folk Arts and Crafts exhibitions". Brooklyn Museum. March 1939. Retrieved 2020-04-29.
6. "Newspaper Man's Daughter Gets Job with Register". Fourth Estate: 30. January 3, 1920.
7. "Miss Marie Frugone Eulogizes Mr. Harding". The Standard Union. 1920-10-10. p. 24. Retrieved 2020-04-29 – via Newspapers.com.
8. "With the Women Voters". Times Union. 1920-03-16. p. 9. Retrieved 2020-04-29 – via Newspapers.com.
9. "Miss Marie Frugone Busy Making Citizens of Italians". Times Union. 1922-04-20. p. 16. Retrieved 2020-04-29 – via Newspapers.com.
10. King, Viola K. (1935-05-27). "Column Gets Praise". Times Union. p. 6. Retrieved 2020-04-29 – via Newspapers.com.
11. Frugone, Marie (1927-04-28). "With the Women Voters". Times Union. p. 58. Retrieved 2020-04-29 – via Newspapers.com.
12. Frugone, Marie (August 1, 1937). "Women Candidates Double Total Entrees in Council Race". Brooklyn Daily Eagle. p. 6. Retrieved April 28, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
13. Perry, Elisabeth Israels (2019-03-06). After the Vote: Feminist Politics in La Guardia's New York. Oxford University Press. pp. 214–215. ISBN 978-0-19-934185-6.
14. Frugone, Marie (1929-05-21). "With Women Voters". Times Union. p. 5. Retrieved 2020-04-29 – via Newspapers.com.
15. Frugone, Marie (1937-05-24). "With the Women Voters". Times Union. p. 5. Retrieved 2020-04-29 – via Newspapers.com.
16. Frugone, Marie (1937-08-14). "With the Women's Clubs". The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. p. 12. Retrieved 2020-04-29 – via Newspapers.com.
17. Nairne, Elizabeth D. (1921-10-15). "Constructive Chat of Flatbush Women". The Chat. p. 72. Retrieved 2020-04-29 – via Newspapers.com.
18. "Italian Benefit". The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. 1931-06-20. p. 3. Retrieved 2020-04-29 – via Newspapers.com.
19. "Navy Yard Boys Fete Notables". Times Union. 1934-02-19. p. 5. Retrieved 2020-04-29 – via Newspapers.com.
20. "Navy Yard District Boys Club Auxiliary Meets". The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. 1936-01-09. p. 19. Retrieved 2020-04-29 – via Newspapers.com.
21. "Welfare Worker to Marry Oct. 1". Times Union. 1924-09-09. p. 3. Retrieved 2020-04-29 – via Newspapers.com.
22. "Francine Scileppi Bride in Brooklyn; Brides of Yesterday". The New York Times. 1950-08-20. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-04-29.
23. "Annie Nathan Meyer". Barnard Bulletin. 1951-11-05. p. 1. Retrieved 2020-04-29.
24. "Deaths". Carry on. 5: 40. May 1926.
25. "Mrs. Marie F. Scileppi". Daily News. 1953-06-18. p. 287. Retrieved 2020-04-29 – via Newspapers.com.
26. "Obituary for MARIE SCILEPPI". Brooklyn Daily Eagle. June 19, 1953. p. 9. Retrieved 2020-04-29 – via Newspapers.com.