Exhibit Also Pays Tribute to Justice Antonin Scalia,
Grand Marshal of Columbus Day Parade
Rare Historic Printings of Declaration of Independence
and U.S. Constitution on View
October 3 through October 10 at Vanderbilt Hall, Grand Central Terminal
NEW YORK, Oct. 3 /PRNewswire/ -- The 2005 Columbus Week Celebrations kick
off with an educational exhibition about the history, traditions and
procedures of the Supreme Court, Lawrence Auriana, President of the Columbus
Citizens Foundation announced today.
"The United States Supreme Court, which is the subject of great interest
recently, is one of America's most important contributions to civilization yet
its history and functions are little understood by many people," said
Mr. Auriana.
On view will be documents relating to the founding of America and the
judicial branch of government: the first Congressionally-authorized exact
engraving of the Declaration of Independence, one of only two on wove paper,
printed in 1823; a 1787 newspaper that carried a printing of the Constitution
just three days after it was released by Congress to the states for
ratification; an original George Washington letter from 1789 transmitting the
Act of Congress that established the judiciary; and an original Jefferson
letter, signed as Secretary of State, appointing a judge to the Supreme Court
in 1791.
Related exhibitions include correspondence between Thomas Jefferson and
Italian-born Filippo Mazzei, a leading proponent for American Independence,
and between Benjamin Franklin and Gaetano Filangieri, an Italian political
philosopher whose Enlightenment ideals for democracy were later found in the
Constitution. "The two subsidiary exhibitions about Franklin and Filangieri
and about Jefferson and Mazzei explore the relationships between Founding
Fathers and important 18th century Italians who were allies of America in
spirit and in action," said Mr. Auriana.
"Columbus Day commemorates the spirit of exploration and freedom and the
contributions of Italians and Italian-Americans to the United States," said
Mr. Auriana. The exhibit includes a segment on Justice Scalia, who grew up in
New York City and is the first Italian-American to sit on the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court Exhibition
The educational exhibition informs visitors about the history of the
Supreme Court and guides them through the court's traditions and processes.
Subjects presented are the court's responsibility to interpret the
Constitution, its presence as a balance to the executive and legislative
branches of government and the justices' caseload. The exhibition also
conveys a sense of how it would feel to present arguments before the court's
imposing bench, which is presented in a mural-sized photograph.
In addition to historical documents, the Supreme Court exhibit features a
replica of the Supreme Court Building facade that measures 27-feet tall by
32-feet wide, oversized photographs, storyboards and a ten-minute video about
the workings of the court -- a court that has never served a king.
Justice Scalia is presented in a series of photographs, ranging
chronologically from his days as a Boy Scout leader through his education and
career as a jurist.
Filippo Mazzei and Thomas Jefferson
Filippo Mazzei, a Florentine surgeon, horticulturist and merchant, was the
neighbor of Thomas Jefferson beginning in 1774. Mazzei, who moved to America
to develop vineyards and olive groves, became an ardent supporter of American
independence. He worked with the citizens of Albemarle County -- where he and
Jefferson lived -- to establish a constitution for Virginia.
In other writings, Mazzei authored the phrase, "All men are by nature
equally free and independent." In his book, "A Nation of Immigrants,"
John F. Kennedy noted, "The great doctrine 'All men are created equal,'
incorporated in the Declaration [of Independence] by Thomas Jefferson, was
paraphrased from the writing of Philip Mazzei, an Italian-born patriot and
pamphleteer, who was a close friend of Jefferson." And according to Joint
Resolution 175 of the 103rd Congress, "the phrase in the Declaration of
Independence 'All men are created equal', was suggested by the Italian patriot
and immigrant Philip Mazzei."
Mazzei, who was imprisoned by the British during the Revolution and who
later returned to Europe to act on America's behalf, wrote the four-volume
"Historical and Political Studies of the Northern United States of America"
(1788). The work was the first history of the American Revolution published
in France, where it was read as a balanced accounting of the country's battle
for independence and as a rebuttal to anti-American propaganda coming out of
England. A first edition of Mazzei's seminal book will be exhibited.
Benjamin Franklin and Gaetano Filangieri
Founding Father Benjamin Franklin shared a correspondence and exchanged
books with Gaetano Filangieri, an Enlightenment Neopolitan political
philosopher whose "Science of Legislation" (1780 to 1785) was read by Franklin
in the years before the Constitution and the Bill of Rights were written.
Franklin also ordered from Filangieri several copies of the multi-volume work,
which was widely read throughout Europe.
"The Science of Legislation" was among the earliest works on
constitutional law and government. It presented an enlightened code of
justice that was based on reason and that did not favor royalty and the
wealthy. Filangieri called for equal justice for all citizens,
proportionality between crime and punishment, freedom of the press, universal
public education and unlimited free trade. Franklin praised Filangieri for
his "invaluable work." Many of the ideas championed in "The Science of
Legislation" are found in the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.
The exhibition will present a first edition of "The Science of
Legislation" and reproductions of correspondences between Franklin and
Filangieri.
Exhibition Checklist
The exhibition will include the following:
- The Declaration of Independence: the first full-scale exact engraving.
Authorized by Congress in 1823, this is one of two known copies on
paper, probably a proof struck before the printing on vellum of
200 copies ordered by Congress.
- The Constitution of the United States: The October 1, 1787 Connecticut
Courant, and Weekly Intelligencer, which includes a complete printing
of the Constitution, just three days after Congress sent it to the
states for ratification.
- Thomas Jefferson Letter signed: as Secretary of State, 1791, informing
Thomas Johnson of his appointment to the Supreme Court
- George Washington Letter signed: forwarding the law setting up the
federal government, including the judiciary, and appropriating the
first federal budget ($639,000)
- Benjamin Franklin Letter: 1782, discussing with a friend the need for
humane conduct of war as peace negotiations between Britain and the new
American republic were underway
- Thomas Jefferson, signed Act of Congress: The 1790 Naturalization Act,
which established law for obtaining citizenship
- First edition of "Recherches historiques et politiques sur les
Etats-Unis de l'Amerique septentrionale" ("Historical and Political
Studies of the Northern United States of America"), by Filippo Mazzei,
1788
- First edition of La scienza della legislazione, by Gaetano Filangieri,
1780-1785
- Reproductions of letters between Thomas Jefferson and Filippo Mazzei
- Reproductions of letters between Benjamin Franklin and
Gaetano Filangieri
- Reproductions of busts of Filippo Mazzei and Thomas Jefferson
- A 27 by 28 foot stylized rendering of the Supreme Court Building's
facade
- Mural-sized photographs of the bench of the Supreme Court and of the
Justices
- An informative video about the Supreme Court
- A video about Justice Antonin Scalia
Original documents are provided on loan courtesy of Seth Kaller, Inc.,
White Plains, New York.
The exhibitions are sponsored by Countrywide Financial, Federated Kaufmann
Fund, Sidoti and Company and Amy and Joseph Perella.
The Columbus Citizens Foundation (http://www.columbuscitizensfd.org) celebrates
Italian-American heritage and produces New York City's Columbus Day Parade.
The Foundation supports cultural and educational programs and provides
scholarships for elementary school, high school and college students. This
summer, the Foundation awarded new, multi-year scholarships to 224 students.
During the 2005-2006 academic year, the Foundation will provide scholarship
assistance totaling $2.1 million to 608 students.
Exhibitions information:
Location: Vanderbilt Hall East, Grand Central Terminal
Park Ave. at 42 St.
Dates: October 3 through October 10
Hours: 8:00 AM to 10:00 PM
Press Contacts: Andrew Decker, 212.222 4688, Andrew.Decker@att.net
Giuliana Ridolfi Cardillo, Italian Cultural Institute,
212.879.4242 x 324, gridolfi@italcultny.org
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