Ralph Cipriano Italian American collection
Scope and Contents
This collection contains correspondence, event programs, newsletters, photographs, and pamphlets. The material dates from 1937-1975. These are personal papers of Ralph Cipriano related to his association with the Lido Civic Club of Washington and other Italian American organizations. Cipriano was a charter member and 1938 president of the Lido Club. Topics covered in the collection include the 1940s war bond drives, Italian American social events, charitable giving, and correspondence with prominent Washingtonians, including Judge John J. Sirica, Senator John O. Pastore, the Very Reverend Edward B. Bunn, Ugo Carusi, and Italian Ambassadors.
Dates
- Creation: 1937-1975
- Creation: Majority of material found within 1942 - 1968
Creator
- Cipriano, Ralph (Person)
Language of Materials
This collection also contains some materials in Italian.
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
Some material may be copyrighted or restricted. It is the patron's obligation to determine and satisfy copyright or other case restrictions when publishing or otherwise distributing materials found in the collections.
Ralph Cipriano
Ralph Cipriano (1897-1975) served and led the Italian American community in Washington, DC for nearly 50 years.
Born Raffaele Cipriano on the island of Ischia, Italy, he immigrated to the US with his family as a youth. Cipriano attended high school in Providence, Rhode Island, and moved to Washington, DC shortly after graduation. He became an agent for the New York Life Insurance Company in 1926. During his career, he was recognized for his outstanding salesmanship by being named to the President's Council and the Million Dollar Round Table. Cipriano also contributed to Italian American cultural life in Washington, helping to found the Lido Civic Club in 1929 and remaining a lifelong member. He served as president in 1938, the same year he became totally blind, and led a highly successful war bond drive in 1942. The Treasury Department acknowledged his work by giving him its Silver Award. In 1968, Cipriano was awarded the title of "Commandatore dell' Ordine della Stella della Solidarieta Italiana," the highest honor an Italian-American can receive from the Italian government, for outstanding service in Italian-American relations.
Ralph Cipriano died in Washington, DC in 1975.
Extent
0.75 Linear Feet (1 document box 1 slim document box)
Abstract
This collection contains personal papers of Ralph Cipriano (1897-1975) related to his work with the Lido Civic Club and other Italian American organizations in Washington, DC from 1937-1975. Cipriano was a charter member and 1938 president of the Lido Club. Topics covered in the collection include the 1940s war bond drives, Italian American social events, charitable giving, and correspondence with prominent Washingtonians.
Arrangement
This collection is not fully processed and series have not been identified.
Physical Location
Materials may be stored off-site, and may require additional retrieval time. Please contact the Special Collections Research Center for more information.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Madeline Sapienza, 2009 (Accession 2009.056)
Subject
- Lido Civic Club (Organization)
- Title
- Guide to the Ralph Cipriano Italitan American collection, 1937-1975
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Special Collections Research Center, The George Washington University
- Date
- 2009
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Finding aid written in English
Repository Details
Part of the Special Collections Research Center, The George Washington University Repository
George Washington University Gelman Library
2130 H Street NW
Washington DC 20052 United States of America
speccoll@gwu.edu
