The Order Sons of Italy in America (OSIA) was founded on June 22, 1905 at 203 Grand Street in New York City. An Italian immigrant, Dr. Vincenzo Sellaro, and five compatriots; pharmacist Ludovico Ferrari, attorney Antonio Marzullo, sculptor Giuseppe Carlino and barbers Pietro Viscardi and Robert Merlo, created the organization to unite men and women of Italian heritage under one banner in order to preserve and disseminate the large cultural heritage of Italy. They also felt a need to promote and advance their progress everywhere within the framework of American society.
When OSIA was founded, it took its name from "L’Ordine Figli d’Italia," which is Italian for "The Order of Children of Italy". In America, the name was converted to its present masculine form ("Order Sons of Italy"), and has been preserved as such for name recognition and legacy purposes.
OSIA has provided a community in which both men and women of Italian descent have preserved and nurtured their Italian heritage. It continues to thrive, meeting the initial objectives of its founders through a wide variety of community, cultural, social, charitable, educational, patriotic and civic activities.
As OSIA passes it’s 100th year of service, it has grown into the largest and most demographically diverse organization representing 23 million men and women of Italian heritage on the North American continent. The National office of the Order Sons of Italy in America is located in Washington, D.C. and represents over 700 local chapters across the country. Men and women share equal status within OSIA, as do individuals of all professions and ages.
The Grand Lodge of New York was the first Grand Lodge formed on January 10, 1911. The Executive Office of the NYSOSIA Grand Lodge is located in Bellmore, Nassau County, New York. There are 96 local New York chapters, located from the far reaches of northern New York to the eastern tip of Long Island. Family membership is over fifty thousand representing a broad cross section of the Italian American community in New York State.
The New York Grand Lodge Foundation, Inc. was formed on October 14, 1982. The corporation was formed to raise money and donate to various recognized charities; to initiate scholarships for deserving students and to initiate and donate to educational programs that will foster an awareness of Italian heritage and culture. Since 1982, the New York Grand Lodge Foundation, Inc. has distributed millions of dollars to various charities and to its very prestigious Foundation Scholarship program.
