GSBC Meeting
Book Talk: Italians of Newark
Andrea Lyn Cammarato–Van Benschoten
Monday, 27 October 2025 @ 7 pm
In-person at Ridgewood Public Library
Open to GSBC members and non-Members

Summary: Between 1880 and 1924, more than 4 million Italians immigrated to the United States. Tens of thousands flocked to Newark and reshaped a city. In 1887, St. Philip Neri’s Church became the first official Italian parish in Newark, a huge improvement over holding services in the basements of existing churches. Many immigrants settled in the Old First Ward, which once claimed the title of largest Little Italy in New Jersey. It wouldn’t last, however, as the midcentury push for urban housing led to the forcible displacement of more than 4,600 people. Clubs like the Spilingese Social Club sprang up to provide support and camaraderie, and dishes like giambotta made their way into everyone's kitchens. Author Andrea Lyn Cammarato–Van Benschoten traces the roots of Newark’s Italian communities.

Speaker: Andrea Lyn Cammarato–Van Benschoten was born in Columbus Hospital in Newark and grew up one town over in Belleville. A Jersey Girl with a passion for her Italian heritage, she was taught at a young age to “never forget where you came from.” For her, that goes back to Campania and Sicily, to the Old First Ward of Newark. Andrea studied journalism at Seton Hall University and writes multiple blogs, including one about her beloved New Jersey (thisismynewjersey.com) and one about her Italian heritage (jerseygirlitalianroots.com).