Generoso Pope
Encyclopedia
Generoso Pope born with the name of Generoso Antonio Pompilio Carlo Papa, the owner of a chain of Italian-language newspapers in major cities, stands out as the epitome of the Italian American ethnic political broker.
and became an executive in the family construction business. Anthony (1919–2005) was the middle son. Generoso Pope, Jr. (1927–1988) graduated from Massachusetts Institute of Technology
at age 19 and became the owner of the National Enquirer, which was headquartered in Lantana
, Florida
at the time of his death.
He bought the Il Progresso Italo-Americano in 1928 for $2,050,000. He doubled its circulation to 200,000 in New York City, making it the largest Italian daily newspaper in the country. He purchased additional papers in New York, including Il Bollettino della Sera, Il Corriere d'America, and the Philadelphia Daily LiOpinione. He also owned the radio station, WHOM, which is the current 92.3 NOW. He became the chief source of political, social, and cultural information for the community.
Pope encouraged his readers to learn English, become citizens, and vote. His goal was to instill pride and ambition to succeed in modern America. A conservative Democrat who ran the Columbus Day parade and admired Mussolini, Pope was the most powerful enemy of anti-Fascism among Italian Americans. Closely associated with Tammany Hall
politics in New York, Pope and his newspapers played a vital role in securing the Italian vote for Franklin D. Roosevelt
's Democratic tickets. It is recorded that Generoso is the influence for the election of President Roosevelt. With his presidential friendships, Generoso was able to make Columbus Day into a National Holiday. He also founded the Columbus Day Parade in New York City, which is still the world's largest Columbus Day Parade.
Pope served as chairman of the Italian Division of the Democratic National Committee
in 1936, and helped persuade the president to take a neutral attitude over Italy's invasion of Ethiopia
. He broke with Benito Mussolini
in 1941 and enthusiastically supported the American war effort. In the late 1940s Pope supported the election of William O'Dwyer
as mayor in 1945 and Harry S. Truman
as president. His business concerns continued to prosper under New York's Democratic administrations. In the early years of the Cold War
, Pope was a leading anti-Communist, and orchestrating a letter writing campaign by his subscribers to stop the Communists from winning the Italian elections in 1948.
Family
Generoso Pope fathered three sons after he came to the United States. Fortunato "Fortune" (1918–1996) graduated from Columbia UniversityColumbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
and became an executive in the family construction business. Anthony (1919–2005) was the middle son. Generoso Pope, Jr. (1927–1988) graduated from Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
at age 19 and became the owner of the National Enquirer, which was headquartered in Lantana
Lantana
Lantana is a genus of about 150 species of perennial flowering plants in the verbena family, Verbenaceae. They are native to tropical regions of the Americas and Africa but exist as an introduced species in numerous areas, especially in the Australian-Pacific region. The genus includes both...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
at the time of his death.
Career
Generoso Pope arrived in America at age 15 in 1906 with $10 in his pocket and got his first job carrying drinking water to construction workers for $3 per week. He rose to construction supervisor and, eventually, owner of Colonial Sand & Stone, which was the largest sand and gravel company in the New York region.He bought the Il Progresso Italo-Americano in 1928 for $2,050,000. He doubled its circulation to 200,000 in New York City, making it the largest Italian daily newspaper in the country. He purchased additional papers in New York, including Il Bollettino della Sera, Il Corriere d'America, and the Philadelphia Daily LiOpinione. He also owned the radio station, WHOM, which is the current 92.3 NOW. He became the chief source of political, social, and cultural information for the community.
Pope encouraged his readers to learn English, become citizens, and vote. His goal was to instill pride and ambition to succeed in modern America. A conservative Democrat who ran the Columbus Day parade and admired Mussolini, Pope was the most powerful enemy of anti-Fascism among Italian Americans. Closely associated with Tammany Hall
Tammany Hall
Tammany Hall, also known as the Society of St. Tammany, the Sons of St. Tammany, or the Columbian Order, was a New York political organization founded in 1786 and incorporated on May 12, 1789 as the Tammany Society...
politics in New York, Pope and his newspapers played a vital role in securing the Italian vote for Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
's Democratic tickets. It is recorded that Generoso is the influence for the election of President Roosevelt. With his presidential friendships, Generoso was able to make Columbus Day into a National Holiday. He also founded the Columbus Day Parade in New York City, which is still the world's largest Columbus Day Parade.
Pope served as chairman of the Italian Division of the Democratic National Committee
Democratic National Committee
The Democratic National Committee is the principal organization governing the United States Democratic Party on a day to day basis. While it is responsible for overseeing the process of writing a platform every four years, the DNC's central focus is on campaign and political activity in support...
in 1936, and helped persuade the president to take a neutral attitude over Italy's invasion of Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
. He broke with Benito Mussolini
Benito Mussolini
Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini was an Italian politician who led the National Fascist Party and is credited with being one of the key figures in the creation of Fascism....
in 1941 and enthusiastically supported the American war effort. In the late 1940s Pope supported the election of William O'Dwyer
William O'Dwyer
William O'Dwyer was the 100th Mayor of New York City, holding that office from 1946 to 1950.-Biography:O'Dwyer was born in County Mayo, Ireland and migrated to the United States in 1910, after abandoning studies for the priesthood...
as mayor in 1945 and Harry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman was the 33rd President of the United States . As President Franklin D. Roosevelt's third vice president and the 34th Vice President of the United States , he succeeded to the presidency on April 12, 1945, when President Roosevelt died less than three months after beginning his...
as president. His business concerns continued to prosper under New York's Democratic administrations. In the early years of the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
, Pope was a leading anti-Communist, and orchestrating a letter writing campaign by his subscribers to stop the Communists from winning the Italian elections in 1948.