Executive Order 9066, Anti-Italianism, and the Italian American WWII Experience
History Lecture: Presented by Marianna Gatto
Saturday, January 10
10:30am - 11:30am
Peninsula Center Library
Community RoomJoin us for an informative lecture by Marianna Gatto, Italian American historian, author, and executive director and cofounder of the Italian American Museum of Los Angeles, on the history of Italian Americans during WWII, as we prepare for our upcoming PV Reads author event with Mark Sullivan, author of Beneath the Scarlet Sky.
Upon the United States entry into World War II, six hundred thousand Italian Americans who had not yet obtained United States citizenship were branded “enemy aliens.” They were required to register with the government, carry identification cards, surrender property, and were subject to travel restrictions and relocation. Some of the community’s most revered luminaries were arrested and interned. Although Italian Americans were the largest ethnic group serving in the United States military, their families were considered “potentially dangerous,” an experience that led many to distance themselves from their heritage. This program will explore the World War II restrictions on Italian Americans within the larger context of anti-Italianism in the United States from the late nineteenth century leading up to World War II—including laws to restrict Italian immigration to racially-motivated acts of violence— and their lasting effects on Italian American identity.
Marianna Gatto is the executive director and cofounder of the Italian American Museum of Los Angeles and has held this position since 2010. Gatto’s roles span from fundraising and development to museum management and advocacy. A historian and educator, Gatto wrote and curates the museum’s award-winning permanent exhibition as well as its temporary exhibitions. Gatto is a published author who has appeared in various documentaries, consulted for major networks, and is a frequent guest speaker. A Los Angeles native, Gatto earned a B.A. in social science and an M.A. in history and education. In 2020 Gatto was knighted by the Italian republic, receiving the Cavaliere dell’Ordine della Stella d’Italia (Knight of the Order of the Star of Italy).
Join us for our PV READS author talk by Mark Sullivan, author of Beneath the Scarlet Sky on Friday, March 13, 2026 at 6:30 pm. Check our calendar for more details.
Registration not required.
EVENT TYPE: | Cultural Celebrations | Author Reading/Lecture |
Peninsula Center Library
The original 32,000 sq. ft Peninsula Center Library built in 1967 was designed by pioneers in “green” design, A. Quincy Jones and Frederick E. Emmons. With vertical wood louvers to control sunlight, the original steel and reinforced concrete building also included coffered slab ceilings with recessed lighting, glass walls, and local Palos Verdes stone and white columns. All furnishings were contemporary with many pieces designed by Jones and Emmons specifically for the Library.
In 1995, architects Zimmer, Gunsul, and Fransca (ZGF) renovated and expanded the space, nearly doubling its size. Using the existing concrete-frame building, the building maintains the original entrance on Deep Valley and added the new entrance on Silver Spur. The building also features major public artworks such as the Stellar Axis by Lita Albuquerque, the bronze cheetahs with the stone column by Gwynn Murrill, and the Light in the Forest mural by Myrna Shiras which are integral parts of the building.