No Balbo – Italian American Heritage Society of Chicago

REJECTING FASCISM

We demand the removal of honorific markers for fascism in Chicago.

Monument Inscription on Balbo Column: "This column, twenty centuries old, was erected on the beach of Ostia, the port of Imperial Rome, to watch over the fortunes and victories of the Roman triremes. Fascist Italy, with the sponsorship of Benito Mussolini, presents to Chicago a symbol and memorial in honor of the Atlantic Squadron led by Balbo, which with Roman daring, flew across the ocean in the 11th year of the Fascist era"

No to Balbo.

Please join us in this effort to remove the monument and street sign for Italo Balbo, among the leaders of the Italian fascists and a mastermind behind the invasion of Ethiopia. He was instrumental in bringing fascism to power in Italy and seen as Mussolini's heir apparent. Honorifics to this architect of the most dangerous ideology of the 20th century brings shame to our city's name.

Join the Commission

The Balbo Removal and Anti-Fascist Commission is dedicated to recasting the figures that have been supported by the broader Italian American community to not include perpetrators of violence and predation. We are especially focused on removing the statue and street sign of the co-founder of Italian Fascism and architect of Benito Mussolini’s rise to power, Italo Balbo.