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Remembering the Largest Mass Lynching in U.S. History.

On this day in 1891, eleven innocent Italian immigrants were murdered in what would become the largest mass lynching in United States history.

Police Chief David Hennessy of New Orleans was murdered in October 1890. Because Hennessy had developed a reputation for arresting Italian Americans, members of the Italian and Italian American community were widely blamed and arrested. Following the verdict, an angry mob gathered in response to a local newspaper ad calling for a “vigilance committee” to be formed and for residents to “come prepared for action.” As a result, on March 14, 1891, a mob of thousands gathered outside the prison a day after the acquittals. Eventually, the mob burst into the jail and lynched 11 of the accused Italian Americans.

According to The New Orleans Advocate, the victims were fruit peddlers Antonio Bagnetto, Antonio Marchesi and Antonio Scaffidi; stevedores James Caruso and Rocco Geraci; cobbler Pietro Monasterio; tinsmith Loreto Comitis; street vendor Emmanuele Polizzi; fruit importer Joseph P. Macheca; ward politician Frank Romero; and rice plantation laborer Charles Traina. All of whom were eventually found innocent of the murder of Police Chief Hennessey.

Leonardo DiCaprio was told by his first agent that his name was "too ethnic" and needed to change to "Lenny Williams" if he wanted to make it as an actor in Hollywood.

Read more here: https://variety.com/2025/film/news/leonardo-dicaprio-ex-agent-name-too-ethnic-lenny-williams-1236528713/

Today is the day in Rutherford, NJ ! 🇺🇸🇮🇹