Pols: Columbus Statue In Huntington Is Here To Stay

Local politicians including, from left, Rep. Tom Suozzi and Supervisor Frank Petrone as well as State President of the Order Sons of Italy in America Roberto Ferrito made the announcement in front of the Columbus statue in Huntington. Long Islander News photo/Connor Beach

By Connor Beach
cbeach@longislandergroup.com

Town officials announced Friday they will not consider moving or renaming the Christopher Columbus statue that has stood along Main Street across from St. Patrick’s Church in Huntington village since its controversial unveiling in 1971.

Huntington Supervisor Frank Petrone was joined by Councilman Mark Cuthbertson, Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-Glen Cove), Suffolk Legislator William “Doc” Spencer and prominent members of the town’s Italian-American community in front of the statue to make the announcement.

“We are not removing this statue; the town board feels very strongly about this,” Petrone said.

The nine-foot-high bronze statue was commissioned in 1971 by the late Sam Albicocco, of Italian-American heritage and a prominent Huntington businessman at the time. Before it was unveiled, the statue was the source of political controversy due to reported push back from then-Huntington Supervisor Jerome Ambro, according to published reports in The Long-Islander.

Flanked by members of the Italian American Political Action Committee and the President of New York’s Order Sons of Italy in America Robert Ferrito, Petrone said town chose now to make the announcement “to set the tone and the stage for our festivities next week.”

Festivities during Columbus Day weekend include Huntington’s annual Columbus Day parade on Sunday starting at 12 noon and the Long Island Fall Festival, which is held in and around Heckscher Park over the holiday weekend each year.

Both Petrone and Cuthbertson said that the Columbus statue stands as a symbol of the town’s willingness to embrace immigrant communities from all ethnic backgrounds.

“Columbus Day isn’t just about Columbus; it’s about how we venerate Italian-American culture and how proud we are of the wonderful immigrant stories,” Cuthbertson said.

Petrone said the town has taken on the responsibility of maintaining the statue after the project was originally commissioned by Albicocco and funded by donations from Huntington residents of Italian descent.

“We are going to fight against racism, discrimination and stereotypes, but as part of that process we are going to still be proud Italian Americans,” Rep. Suozzi said. “We are going to continue to fight to make sure that people recognize that Columbus contributed so much to this country and that Italian Americans contributed so much to this country.”