Dear Editor,

With October now behind us, I want to remind everyone in the Ohio Valley about the significance of Italian American Heritage Month, which is celebrated each year during this time. Established in 1989, this month serves as an opportunity to educate others and honor the numerous contributions of people of Italian descent to our country. The Ohio Valley, with its rich history, can proudly claim to be the home of several famous Italian Americans.

In June, a group associated with the Heinz History Center visited the Jefferson County Historical Association museum on Franklin Avenue to propose an IDARM project to the museum members. IDARM stands for Italian Diaspora Archive Resource Map. This initiative aims to catalog and develop an accessible, searchable digital resource map that promotes research on the Italian diasporic experience in Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia

Last month, Jefferson County Historical Association members launched their own version of this initiative to collect and preserve the rich histories and experiences of the Italian immigrants who settled in the Ohio Valley. This initiative focuses on those who arrived generations ago, as well as those who immigrated more recently, specifically during the 1950s and 1960s.

The local committee consists of museum association members and several members of the Italian American Cultural Club. Using a short questionnaire, the committee is interviewing people whose ancestors came to the Ohio Valley from Italy. The hope is to create a repository that will be kept at the museum so that future generations can enjoy the rich history their ancestors experienced when they came to America.

We invite anyone wishing to participate in the project or willing to tell the stories of their ancestors to reach out. Your contribution is invaluable.

Please get in touch with a committee member or call the museum at 740-283-1133 or e-mail hello@jeffcountyhistorical.org for more information.

Questionnaires will be available at our upcoming Christmas Open House from noon to 4 p.m. Nov. 15.

Joan McGlone

JCHA Board Secretary

Richmond