Liberty • Equality • Fraternity
Southern Colorado Lodge 2738
About the Lodge
A fellowship dedicated to Italian and Italian-American heritage, education, community service, and the preservation of Pueblo’s historic Christopher Columbus Monument and Piazza.
History of Order of Itlay in America
THE FOUNDING OF THE ORDER SONS OF ITALY IN AMERICA
Inaugural Address by OSIA Founder Vincenzo Sellaro, M.D The following is a translation from Italian of the inaugural address given by Dr. Vincenzo Sellaro, founder of the Order of the Sons of Italy in America. OSIA thanks Professor Frank P. Oliveri of Rochester, New York. Lost since 1935, the Sellaro speech was discovered recently after a three-year search by Professor Oliveri, who also translated it. Today is the 22nd of June 1905!
Today we are blessed with such a magnificent day of sunshine. Today the Almighty has brought us all together for a purpose. With all of you, and with my most intimate compatriots, let’s say our brothers and their wives, our sisters, who represent every corner of Italy. All of us are Italians!
No matter what part of Italy we came from, we are first and foremost Italians. I, Vincenzo Sellaro, happen to be from Sicily; our pharmacist, Ludovico Ferrari is from Piedmont; our attorney, Antonio Marzullo is from Campania; Giuseppe Carlino, sculptor, from Lazio; and our barbers, Pietro Viscardi from Calabria, and Roberto Merlo from Tuscany.
We cannot continue to see each other and treat each other as sub-nationalities of the Italian peninsula. By continuing this way we will not only remain weak as a nationality within the larger American society, but will also continue to find it ever difficult to achieve our rightful place of influence and respect in the role we must take in making this country greater than ever before.
“This wonderful country can only become the richer and more cultured as a result of it”.
Today we are gathered together for one main purpose, that I want to believe someday will become a very important part of American history. We are the newest of the immigrants to this great country, and because of the fierce and undeserved prejudice and discrimination that we have had to suffer for nearly two decades, we must begin to work together, for our common good.
We must educate ourselves, and insist that our children receive the best and highest education possible. Only through this education will we understand the ways and beliefs of this marvelous adopted country of ours, and be treated as equal and worthy American citizens.
We left our native land for a new life, in order to survive. Our former country with its government demonstrated after so many years of trying, that it was simply not capable of providing for us the life we deserved—a decent life, a respectable life.
The majority of us have come to these shores as the poorest of all Italians, and the least educated of most of Europe. But today I must also share with you that we are also the most courageous for having made the decision to come here, to have left behind our motherland and our families, in the hope, not to find a new life, but to earn a better one.
Where only a few of us, before leaving Italy were fortunate enough to have received an education, many of you-us, have reached these shores as common laborers, tenant farmers, field workers and shepherds, gardeners, fishermen, but just as many as artisans, such as masons, carpenters, stonecutters, bakers, tailors and miners. Second to none has been our contribution of tradesmen, lawyers, teachers, accountants, entrepreneurs, pharmacists, and yes, doctors as well.
One of our most important objectives should be to reclaim the rest of our family members left behind, and as soon as possible.
The other objective that all of us must keep in mind at all times is that our presence in this great country, who has received so many of us, in whatever we do and say, must enhance its greatness at all times. We ask only for the opportunity to earn a living! We are not here to be a burden. By staying united and helping one another we will realize everything and anything we wish to achieve.
Some say that history has dealt us a lousy hand, being that we are the last to come to America. After all, wasn’t it one of our own who discovered America? I say to them that the others, for the most part, came here with masters, came as slaves in many cases. We, on the other hand, have come of our own accord.
We are a free people.It is because of this that today I have a dream, and hope that someday, even if it takes a hundred more years before we are fully accepted, our children and their children’s children, even if they carry a single drop of Italian blood will be able and proud to continue to carry on our traditions, our culture and our language. It is up to us s to us, and what we do today!
A Dual Legacy
Heritage, Fellowship, and Historic Preservation
Southern Colorado Lodge 2738 was chartered in 1999 as the second filial lodge of the Order Sons of Italy in America established in Colorado.
From its beginning, the Lodge was created to serve two closely connected purposes: to celebrate and preserve Italian and Italian-American heritage throughout Southern Colorado, and to help protect and maintain Pueblo’s historic Christopher Columbus Monument and Piazza.
Located at 100 East Abriendo Avenue in Pueblo, the Monument and Piazza represent more than a historic landmark. They are a lasting tribute to Pueblo’s immigrant families, their sacrifices, their traditions, and their gratitude for the opportunity to build new lives in the United States.
The Lodge continues that legacy through scholarships, educational programs, cultural events, charitable service, fellowship, and historic preservation.
Our History
Milestones in the Lodge’s Story
The following accomplishments present a working historical summary based on Lodge records and currently available program information. Additional milestones will be added as dates and details are verified.
1999 — Southern Colorado Lodge 2738 was chartered as the second filial lodge in Colorado, with the dual purpose of promoting Italian heritage and fellowship throughout Southern Colorado while helping protect and maintain Pueblo’s historic Christopher Columbus Monument and Piazza.
2000 — The Lodge initiated its first Scholarship Gala, establishing an enduring program that connected the Lodge’s cultural mission with educational opportunity for students throughout Colorado.
2004 — A donor memorial wall was dedicated at the Monument and Piazza to recognize the individuals, families, organizations, and community supporters whose contributions helped preserve the site and advance the Lodge’s work.
2005 — The Lodge produced a centennial commemorative book honoring the 100th anniversary of the Monument’s dedication and preserving the photographs, names, family histories, experiences, and contributions of Pueblo’s Italian families.
2008 — The Lodge accepted responsibility for maintaining the entire Piazza area through the City of Pueblo’s Adopt-a-Streetscape Project.
2010 — The Lodge worked with the Pueblo County Historical Society to install a plaque describing the dedication and presentation of the Monument to the City of Pueblo.
2011 — The Pueblo Christopher Columbus Monument was listed on the National Register of Historic Places, affirming its historical significance and strengthening the Lodge’s continuing commitment to its protection and preservation.
2013 — The Lodge worked with the City of Pueblo and the Colorado State Historical Fund, investing $14,000 in matching funds to repair, restore, and preserve the Monument through the work of a professional conservation team from Maryland.
2014 — The Lodge built two brick donor walls and sold more than 75 plaques for installation on the walls. The Lodge also added a new lighted flagpole so the Italian flag could be flown at the Piazza at all times.
2019 — A protective metal fence was installed around the Monument itself to provide an additional measure of protection and preservation.
Total commitment — Lodge time, energy, donations, and funding devoted to these preservation efforts exceeds $55,000.
Our Mission Today
Carrying the Legacy Forward
Today, Southern Colorado Lodge 2738 continues to serve its members and the wider community through the following commitments.
Everyone Has a Place at Our Table
Lodge 2738 welcomes people who value heritage, community, service, fellowship, and the preservation of history. Whether participating in a cultural celebration, supporting a student scholarship, helping preserve the Monument, volunteering at a community event, or simply sharing a meal with friends, every member helps carry the Lodge’s legacy forward.
Our heritage was entrusted to us by earlier generations. Our responsibility is to preserve it, celebrate it, and pass it on.