JOSEPH TUSIANI

TUSIANI--Joseph, of New York City, Poet Laureate Emeritus of New York State, died peacefully of natural causes on April 11th, 2020 at the age of 96. He was a prolific and award-winning poet, novelist, translator, educator and humanist. Joseph, who was born in the Apulian town of San Marco in Lamis (FG), Italy, wrote in four languages: Italian, English, Latin and in the Gargano dialect of his hometown. He was the recipient of numerous coveted national and international awards and recognitions: in 1954, he was the first American to be awarded the Greenwood Prize of the Poetry Society of England; in 1986, he was honored as the first recipient of the American Association of Teachers of Italian Distinguished Service Award; and in 2007, he was presented the keys to the city of Florence for his contributions to the English-speaking world's knowledge of Italian Literature with translations of Dante, Michelangelo, Machiavelli, Tasso, Pulci, Boccaccio, Pascoli and Leopardi among others. His translation of Michelangelo's poetry, acknowledged by the late President John F. Kennedy on his visit to the College of Mount St. Vincent where Professor Tusiani then taught, will soon be reissued by the University of Toronto. In 2016, Governor Andrew Cuomo named him New York State Poet Laureate Emeritus for his lifelong dedication to poetry and the arts. Joseph was also Professor Emeritus at the Herbert H Lehman College of the City University of New York. He is survived by his brother, Michael, and sister-in-law, Beatrice, his niece, Paula and nephew, Michael, and their children: Alexa, Julia, Sarah, Samantha, Matthew and Michael. A memorial service will be conducted at a later date.