FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 11, 2002 -- FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
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Passage of House Resolution Gives Credit Where
It Is Due
Washington,
DC –
Today, Congress took long-overdue action by officially acknowledging Italian-American
Antonio Meucci as the true inventor of the telephone.
The
effort is the culmination of extensive work by both The Conference of
Major Italian American Organizations (The Conference) - an entity representing 37 national and regional Italian
American organizations on issues of national and international concern
- and
Representative Vito Fossella (R-NY), who is the original sponsor of the
measure.
“Congress
has sent a message that rings loud and clear recognizing the true inventor
of the telephone, Antonio Meucci,” said John Calvelli, Chairman of The
Conference. “We are very pleased that Congress has taken this critical
step in acknowledging the true inventor. Meucci’s innovation, foresight,
and hard work in creating one of the most important inventions in modern
history has been overlooked for far too long.”
Fossella
was the original sponsor of House Resolution 269, which recognizes the life and achievements of Antonio
Meucci, which passed the House today.
"Antonio Meucci was a man of vision. His struggles, accomplishments and life personify the true concept of the American dream. And while he did not receive the recognition he deserved during his incredible life, his time has finally come,” said Fossella. “The U.S. Supreme Court acted appropriately during Mr. Meucci's lifetime, and Congress has acted appropriately today."
The
Meucci story is a little known, but compelling story. To date, leading American scholars have been able to document that
the invention of what we know today as the telephone took place close
to the middle of the 19th century, and that Antonio Meucci, an Italian
American inventor was responsible, not Alexander Graham Bell.
Meucci’s
“talking telegraph” was created in the 1840s and Meucci spent much of
his life perfecting and working to patent his unique invention. An immigrant from Florence, Italy, Meucci was
unable to obtain a patent due to limited financial means, access to appropriate
legal guidance and personal hardships.
Later,
in 1876, Alexander Graham Bell, working in the same laboratory facility
where Meucci's materials had been developed and stored, filed for and
was granted a patent for the device.
When
Meucci heard of Bell’s activities, he urged his lawyers to take action. The Supreme Court of the United States eventually
agreed to hear the case between Meucci and Bell, and the government was
moving to annul the patent issued to Bell on the grounds of fraud and
misrepresentation. However, Meucci died before the trial commenced, rendering
any judgment moot - and the case was discontinued.
“Representative
Fossella has been a tireless champion of Antonio Meucci’s cause – we are
grateful for all of his hard work and the work of his colleagues in Congress,”
said Calvelli.
Fossella’s legislation was cosponsored by Representatives Michael Capuano,
Mike Doyle, Eliot Engel, Mike Ferguson,
Felix
Grucci, Steve Israel, Frank Mascara, Ed Markey, Frank Pallone, Bill
Pascrell, Dana Rohrabacher, and Pat Tiberi,
and endorsed by the Order Sons
of Italy in America, the Conference of Presidents of Major Italian American
Organizations and the National Italian American Foundation.
The
Conference of Presidents of Major Italian-American Organizations serves as a national forum
for leaders in the Italian-American community to cooperatively work on
issues of importance for the Italian-American community. The Conference of Presidents is the central coordinating body representing
37 national and regional Italian American organizations on issues of national
and international concern. The
National Italian American Foundation, headquartered in Washington, DC,
serves as the Secretariat for the Conference, providing logistical support
to its ongoing activities.
.
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