Published Works
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A Woman of Certain Importance: A Biography of Kathleen Norris
Long needeed biography of pioneer feminist writer, Kathleen Norris, who was the foremost woman writer of her time, 1911 to 1957, writing popular fiction that articulated and shaped the moral values of American women. Norris was the best-selling, female American novelist and the highest paid writer in her field.
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The Italians of San Francisco 1850-1930
Bilingual - English and Italian. The Italians of San Francisco is the first comprehensive description of the economic and social aspects of the Italian migratory experience in San Francisco to be presented in a side-by-side bilingual edition, providing teachers and students of Italian and English with a linguistically definitive and an historically important learning tool. This text pieces together the fragmented story of one of the largest immigrant groups to come to California charting the history of their economic and social development as it began in San Francisco, and as it was to be found throughout California. The Italians of San Francisco tells the story of a community whose strength was maintained in the vibrancy and perseverance of its members, and whose accomplishments were achieved through the ambition and efforts of each of its members. Even more importantly, it tells the story of a community of Italian immigrants whose goal was to remain Italian and to recreate the way of life they had known in Italy.
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The Argonaut
The Argonaut is the flagship publication of the San Francisco Historical Society. It began publication in 1990, with one issue per year. In 1994, The Argonaut expanded to two issues per year.
The publication has been enthusiastically praised by SFHS members for its design and for its well written, illustrated articles covering a wide diversity of topics dealing with San Francisco history. That feeling was echoed by the American Association of Museums, who awarded The Argonaut an honorable mention for design in 2009.
PROFESSIONAL/SCHOLARLY PUBLICATIONS
1998, March 28: "Andrea Sbarboro, Immigrant to Native Son,” Italy in California: The Ties That Bind. Museo ltalio Americano Symposium.
1996, March 8: Poster Presentation: “Ethnic identity, self- identity, and family values: A study of Italian-American late adolescents in the San Francisco Bay area. Society for Research on Adolescence, Boston, Massachusetts.
1996, March 2: "City Builders and Image Makers: The Sicilian Presence in San Francisco.” Museo Italio Americano Symposium.
1995, November 11: “Ethnic Identity and Family Values in Late Adolescent ltalian Americans in San Francisco." 28th Annual Conference of the American Italian Historical Society, Lowell, Massachusetts.
1989, June 24: “An Afternoon with Gino Sbrana: A Look at Italians at their Best in Work and Play.” Museo ltalio Americano.
1989, November 8: "The Provincial Italian Cuisines - Conservators of the Italian Heritage.” 22nd Annual Conference of the American Italian Historical Association, San Francisco.
1984-1985: Four-Part Lecture series: ltalians of San Francisco, University of San Francisco.
1982, May 19: “The Italians of San Francisco.” Museo ltalio Americano
June 19: “The Italians of San Francisco: An Overview.” Smithsonian Institute.
June 26: "A History of the Italian Community in North Beach: Ethnic Community and District." San Francisco Public Library, City Guides Lecture.
1981, September 1: “Fishing Industries of California - the Italian Experience.” Maritime Museum, California Academy of Sciences. •
1960, June: "A History of the Italians in San Francisco: Reasons for their Success.” San Francisco State University.
1960, March: "Overview: Contributions Made by Italian Immigrants to San Francisco,” Lecture and slide presentation, Vittoria Colonna Club.
1979, March: "The Italians of Early San Francisco.” Lecture and slide presentation. The Italian Culture Society of California, San Mateo.
1979, May: "Overview: Contributions Made by Italian Immigrants to San Francisco.” Lecture and slide presentation, adult division. San Francisco Community College.
1979, May: “Italians Who Migrated from Northern Provinces to San Francisco, 1850-1930.” Casa ltaliana, University of California, Berkeley.
1979, May: "Contributions Made by Italian Women in San Francisco; Museo ltalio Americano Panel Discussion, Moderator.
1979, September: "Fishing Industries of California: The Italian Experience.” The National Maritime Museum Panel Discussion, Moderator.
1978, October: “Italians in San Francisco's History." Lecture and slide presentation. Western Trail Blazers Association.
1977, October: "Italians and the Celebration of Columbus Day in San Francisco." Golden Gate College, San Francisco.
1976, August: “A History of the Italians in San Francisco." San Francisco State University.
1976, October: “Italians in San Francisco's Past: The Theatre and the Church." La Scuola di Lingua e Cultura Italiana.
1975, December: "The Girl of the Golden West: A Play by David Belasco and An Opera by Giacomo Puccini." Modern language Teachers Association Conference. San Francisco.
FILM INTERVIEWS
2024 “A Little Fellow: The Legacy of A.P. Giannini” Italian Heritage Month Celebrations
1998 San Francisco History Museum, Documentaries for Children's Program
1998 KRON-SF, “San Francisco: Birth of a City [Decades Series]” Program on San Francisco History for the year 2000
1983 PBS project, "Italia Glorisa.”
1974 BBC consultant
1971 CBS interview with Luigi Barzini in San Francisco
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
Books
The Italians of San Francisco, 1850-1930 Gli Italiani di San Francisco. New York: Center for Migration Studies, 1985 Fourth Printing. 230pp
A Woman of Certain Importance: A Biography of Kathleen Norris. Illuminations Press; First edition (January 1, 2004). 312pp.
Read the Palo Alto Historical Association review here.
Read the Napa Valley Register review here.
Old St. Mary’s Crossroads of the World. San Francisco. Old St. Mary's Paulist Center. 1978. 205pp.
Articles
"The Diary of Lillie Hitchcock Coit- introduction." The Argonaut. Fall 1997 Vol 8, No. 2, pp. 48-58.
"Introduction - Andrea Sbarboro,” The Argonaut. Winter 1996/97. Vol 7, No. 2, pp. 8-16.
"The Provincial Italian Cuisines: Conservators of Heritage." The Argonaut. Spring 1990. Vol.1, No.1, pp. 18-24.
"The Apprenticeship of Kathleen Norris: California History. March 1987. Vol. 1, No 1, pp. 18-24.
“Ss. Peter and Paul's Church: The Church of the Fishermen." Reprinted in U.S. Catholic Historian. 1987. Vol. 6, No. 4, pp. 373-384.
“Introduction in Who Perished: A List of Persons Who Died as a Result of the Great Earthquake and Fire in San Francisco on April 18, 1906.” Compiled by Gladys Hansen. Archives Publication No 2. San Francisco Archives Main Library. San Francisco. 1980.
"The San Francisco Public Library: A History." Article in Encyclopedia of Library and Information Science, with William Ramirez. Vol 26. New York: Marcel Dekker, Inc. 1979, pp. 299-307.
"The Italian American Experience in California: A Bibliography.” American Italian Historical Association/Western Regional Chapter, 1979.
“What Shall I Tell My Daughter?” Columbus Magazine. 1977, pp. 167-9
"The Fishermen of San Francisco Bay: The Men of Italy Harbor." Pacific Historian. 1976. Vol. 20, No.1, pp. 8-22.
"Andrea Sbarboro. Founder of the Italian Swiss Wine Company: Reminiscences of An Italian American Pioneer.” Italian Americana, 1975. Vol 2, pp. 1-18.
"Kathleen Norris Remembered." Pacific Historian 1975. Vol 18, No. 4, pp. 68-75.
"Connazionali. Stenterello and Farfariello: Italian Variety Theatre in San Francisco." California Historical Society Quarterly, 1975. Vol. Liv, No. 1, pp. 27-37.
"Old First Presbyterian Church.” Publication, San Francisco History Room, San Francisco Archives, Main Library,1973.
“Handicapables.” Columbus Magazine. 1973. pp. 32-34.
"Ss. Peter and Paul Church: The Church of the Fishermen.” Columbus Magazine. 1972. pp. 13-16.
“San Francisco's Italian Variety Theatre.” Columbus Magazine.1971. p 12
“Fremont: The Pathfinder’s City.” San Francisco: Baccari and Associates. 1970. Unnumbered pages.