Two Part Historical Speaker Series of the 1891 LYNCHINGS In New Orleans

Join Italian Charities of America
For A Two-Part Virtual Event In Our Italian American Speaker Series:

Two Part Historical Speaker Series of the 1891 LYNCHINGS In New Orleans
By Sal Perricone, Author of Cobblestones: A Novel of New Orleans
Zoom Events:
Wednesday, December 3rd 2025 | 7:00pm EST
Wednesday, December 10th 2025 | 7:00pm EST

Join us for a two-part virtual presentation by Sal R. Perricone, former Federal Prosecutor and author of the newly released historical novel Cobblestones: A Novel of New Orleans. Sal Perricone will present the vigorous research he conducted for his novel regarding the historic tragic event of the 1891 lynchings of 11 Italian Americans in New Orleans, the largest mass lynching in US history.

• The first presentation will take place on December 3rd where Sal Perricone will discuss the immigration that occurred in New Orleans’ history and the how the city of New Orleans was structured before and during the immigration surge. He will then dive into the background of the 1891 lynchings, which includes what had occurred that lead up to the trial and lynchings on March 14. 1891.

• The second part of the presentation will take place on December 10th in which Sal Perricone will discuss the legal, social and other ramifications of the tragedy. We will explore the media coverage at the time of the 1891 lynchings along with the National and International clashes that occurred because of this tragic event. Sal will then explain the social consequences and changes that followed both immediately and still present today.

Sal Perricone, a graduate of Loyola University of New Orleans with a BA (1975) and JD (1979), has dedicated his career to law enforcement, legal practice, and public service. Beginning as a sergeant with the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Department, he progressed to detective with the New Orleans Police Department before practicing law privately in New Orleans. In 1985, he joined the Federal Bureau of Investigation as a Supervisory Special Agent, specializing in financial crime investigations and organized crime. In 1991, Sal Perricone transitioned to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana, where he served as Chief of the Organized Crime Strike Force and Senior Litigation Counsel until retiring in 2012. Over his illustrious career, he prosecuted significant cases involving La Cosa Nostra, public corruption, and white-collar crime. He earned numerous accolades, including multiple Director’s Awards and the Attorney General’s Award for his role in establishing the Katrina Fraud Task Force. An adjunct professor at Tulane University and the University of New Orleans, Sal Perricone has trained law enforcement professionals across the nation. Post-retirement, he has authored two novels with positive Catholic themes, Blue Steel Crucifix and The Shadows of Nazareth. A Brother Martin alumnus, he continues to inspire with his dedication to justice and ethics.