Assembly Concurrent Resolution No. 23–Assemblymen Dini, Anderson, Angle, Arberry, Bache, Beers, Berman, Brower, Brown, Buckley, Carpenter, Cegavske, Chowning, Claborn, Collins, de Braga, Freeman, Gibbons, Giunchigliani, Goldwater, Gustavson, Hettrick, Humke, Koivisto, Lee, Leslie, Manendo, Marvel, McClain, Mortenson, Neighbors, Nolan, Oceguera, Ohrenschall, Parks, Parnell, Perkins, Price, Smith, Tiffany, Von Tobel and Williams

 

April 18, 2001

____________

 

Joint Sponsors: Senators Raggio, Amodei, Care, Carlton, Coffin, Jacobsen, James, Mathews, McGinness, Neal, O’Connell, O’Donnell, Porter, Rawson, Rhoads, Schneider, Shaffer, Titus, Townsend, Washington and Wiener

____________

 

Read and Adopted

 

SUMMARY—Welcomes exhibit entitled “Una Storia Segreta” (A Secret Story) regarding treatment of certain Italian Americans during World War II. (BDR R‑1460)

 

~

 

EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new; matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted.

 

Assembly Concurrent RESOLUTION—Welcoming the exhibit entitled “Una Storia Segreta” (A Secret Story) regarding the treatment of certain Italian Americans during World War II.

 

1-1    Whereas, During World War II, more than 600,000 Italian-born

1-2  immigrants living in the United States were classified as “enemy aliens”

1-3  because they were not American citizens; and

1-4    Whereas, The freedom of these immigrants and their families was

1-5  hampered by the United States government with the imposition of

1-6  measures that included requiring them to carry identification cards at all

1-7  times, the seizure of personal property and restrictions on their travel; and

1-8    Whereas, More than 10,000 Italian Americans living on the West

1-9  Coast were forced to leave their homes and businesses and were prohibited

1-10  from entering coastal zones, and many of these evacuees relocated to

1-11  Nevada where housing and jobs were available; and

1-12    Whereas, Another 50,000 Italian Americans who remained in their

1-13  homes were subjected to harsh and unfair curfews; and

2-1    Whereas, During this time, thousands of Italian-American immigrants

2-2  were arrested and hundreds were interned in military camps; and

2-3    Whereas, More than 500,000 Italian Americans performed exemplary

2-4  service in the United States Armed Forces during World War II, and

2-5  thousands sacrificed their lives in defense of the United States; and

2-6    Whereas, At the time, Italians were the largest foreign-born group in

2-7  the United States, and today are the fifth largest group of immigrants in the

2-8  United States, numbering approximately 15 million; and

2-9    Whereas, The impact of the wartime experience was devastating to

2-10  Italian-American communities in the United States and its effects are still

2-11  being felt; and

2-12    Whereas, A deliberate policy of the United States government ensured

2-13  that the story of the treatment of Italian Americans during World War II

2-14  was kept secret from the public, and even today many of the details

2-15  surrounding these events remain classified and the full story remains

2-16  unknown to the public; and

2-17    Whereas, The story of the treatment of Italian Americans during

2-18  World War II needs to be told in order to acknowledge that these events

2-19  happened, to remember those whose lives were unjustly disrupted and

2-20  whose freedoms were violated, to help repair the damage to the Italian-

2-21  American community, and to discourage the occurrence of similar

2-22  injustices and violations of civil liberties in the future; and

2-23    Whereas, In March 1993, at a conference sponsored by the American

2-24  Italian Historical Association’s Western Regional Chapter, an exhibit to be

2-25  known as “Una Storia Segreta” (A Secret Story) had its inception; and

2-26    Whereas, This exhibit unveils a secret history that has remained

2-27  hidden for over 50 years because of the silence which was first imposed by

2-28  the United States government and then adopted as a protective cover by

2-29  those whose lives were affected; and

2-30    Whereas, Not only has the secret story concerning the Italian

2-31  Americans during World War II been suppressed from historical accounts,

2-32  but the Italian-American community itself has remained largely unaware of

2-33  its existence; now, therefore, be it

2-34    Resolved by the Assembly of the State of Nevada, the Senate

2-35  Concurring, That the members of the 71st session of the Nevada

2-36  Legislature welcome the exhibit entitled “Una Storia Segreta” (A Secret

2-37  Story) to the Las Vegas Art Museum where the exhibit will be open to the

2-38  public from April 7 through April 29, 2001; and be it further

2-39    Resolved, That not only Italian Americans but all residents from the

2-40  State of Nevada are encouraged to take advantage of the opportunity to

2-41  view this exhibit which is sure to jog the memories and open the eyes of

2-42  many, and promote greater awareness of the injustices endured by the

2-43  many Italian Americans and their families living in this state; and be it

2-44  further

2-45    Resolved, That the members of the Nevada Legislature wish to thank

2-46  the members of the Augustus Society, a nonprofit organization of Las

2-47  Vegas professional and lay men and women of Italian-American heritage,

2-48  for sponsoring this exhibit; and be it further

3-1    Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly prepare and transmit

3-2  a copy of this resolution to Jim Donofrio from the Augustus Society who

3-3  was responsible for and instrumental in bringing the exhibit to Las Vegas.

 

3-4  H