Prof. Joseph Tusiani
This website honors the literary accomplishments of Professor Joseph Tusiani (1924-2020), the critically acclaimed Italian-born poet, translator, novelist, essayist, humanist and scholar who came to call the United States home.
The professor wrote in five languages—Italian, the Gargano dialect, Latin, English and Spanish and did much to stimulate an appreciation of the classics, Italian literature and culture. He was specially acknowledged for his poetry, by the Carnegie Foundation in 2009, for their Immigrants: the Pride of America selections. In 2016, he was named the New York State Poet Laureate Emeritus by Governor Andrew M. Cuomo.
2024 marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of Prof. Tusiani. This website includes the archival finding aid for the Professor Joseph Tusiani Collection, held at Lehman College, CUNY. This extensive collection includes the professor’s autobiographical works, anthologies of translations, poems, essays, articles, photos and awards. It also includes the writings of other scholars who discuss the professor’s contributions to literature and his standing in the Italian and Italian-American communities.
Also, found on this website are: a Chronology on Prof. Tusiani’s life and work; and a Memoir by Marguerite Zappa who curated his collection and was like a right hand to the professor for many years, helping to preserve his legacy. Also found here are Video interviews in which the professor: discusses his background and work and reads his poetry in multiple languages (with subtitles).
In his Oral History, he shares fuller information about his family background, the emigration experience, and insights into the Italian-American community. He also speaks of his teaching at Lehman College, from which he retired as Professor Emeritus of Romance Languages in 1983.
