Portuguese American Journal

Portuguese American Journal

Featured Stories
1976-2026 | Azores celebrate 50 Years of Constitutional Autonomy Book | Bag of Kisses | By Melanie Pereira April 25th |  “Dia da Liberdade” celebrated nationwide and across the diaspora Community | Justice Department moves to revoke citizenship for naturalized immigrants Honor | Writer João Pedro Vala recipient of the PEN/O. Henry Award
 

1976-2026 | Azores celebrate 50 Years of Constitutional Autonomy – Azores 

The Autonomous Region of the Azores is preparing for a historic year of celebrations in 2026 to mark the 50th anniversary of its Constitutional Autonomy. This milestone underscores five decades of self-governance, regional identity, and transatlantic connection.  The commemorations will culminate on September 8, 2026, marking the formal implementation of autonomy under the Constitution of […]

Book | Bag of Kisses | By Melanie Pereira – Editor’s Note

For a little girl whose daddy is a fisherman in the #1 fishing port in the world, goodbyes are never easy. But before he leaves for sea, her parents share a special secret―a magical bag of kisses that keeps their love close, no matter how far the waves carry him. As the days pass and […]

April 25th |  “Dia da Liberdade” celebrated nationwide and across the diaspora – Portugal

The Portuguese nation commemorates today the 52nd anniversary of the Carnation Revolution transition to democracy, with a nationwide program of official ceremonies, public demonstrations, and cultural events. The celebrations expanded abroad, connecting the country to its global diaspora, particularly in the United States. At the center of the national commemorations will be the traditional formal […]

Community | Justice Department moves to revoke citizenship for naturalized immigrants – Washington, D.C.

The U.S. Department of Justice is moving to accelerate efforts to revoke the citizenship of certain naturalized Americans, targeting cases where individuals are suspected of having obtained citizenship through fraud or misrepresentation. Citizenship is considered one of the most secure legal statuses in the United States. Therefore, the overall impact of such measures is likely […]

Honor | Writer João Pedro Vala recipient of the PEN/O. Henry Award – New York, NY

Portuguese writer João Pedro Vala has been awarded a prestigious PEN/O. Henry Award for his short story “Inês,” a recognition widely regarded as one of the highest honors in English-language short fiction. The first Portuguese author to receive that distinction, his short story ‘Inês’ was selected for inclusion in the PEN/O. Henry Prize Stories anthology. […]

Study: Portuguese population to decline to less than half before 2100 – Portugal

18 July 2020

Portugal is among the top 23 nations in the world whose population may decline the most, to less than half before 2100, between the reference values of 3.43 million and 6.1 million people, according to research published this week by the Lancet magazine Currently the total population of Portugal stands at 10.68 million (2017). According […]

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Posted in Azores, Brazil, Featured, Heritage, Madeira, Organizations, People, Portugal, World

COVID’19: State of calamity to remain in place – Portugal

09 July 2020

Prime Minister António Costa said, on Thursday, that the state of calamity should remain in place, for 19 boroughs of the Metropolitan Area of Lisbon, for another 15 days. In addition to containment rules, recommended for the whole country, people in these areas have a civic duty to remain at home, gatherings are limited to […]

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Posted in Azores, Community, Featured, Heritage, Madeira, People, Portugal, Travel, World

Debut: Alba Baptista in the series ‘Warrior Nun’ – Netflix

07 July 2020

Portuguese born, Alba Baptista, has just debuted her acting career in the United States with a role in Warrior Nun, a web series on Netflix premiered on July 2. For Warrior Nun, the Portuguese actress plays Ava, a 19-year-old who wakes up in a morgue and finds out that she is part of an ancient […]

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Posted in Awards, Books, Entertainment, Featured, Film, Heritage, People, Portugal

Agreement: Portuguese government takes over 72,5% of TAP – Portugal

02 July 2020

The Portuguese government announced, on Thursday, that it reached an agreement with TAP Air Portugal private shareholders, to hold 72.5% of the airline’s capital for 55 million euros, after a resolution by the Council of Ministers recognizing the public interest of keeping the airline in operation. With the move, the State has increased its participation […]

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Posted in Azores, Community, Featured, Heritage, Madeira, Organizations, People, Portugal, Travel, World

Honored: Aristides Sousa Mendes memorialized at the National Pantheon – Portugal

30 June 2020

The Portuguese Parliament has voted to honor Aristides de Sousa Mendes (1885-1954), who saved thousands of lives during WWII, by creating a monument to memorialize him at the National Pantheon, the place where some of the most notable Portuguese personalities are buried. The resolution stated, “Aristides Sousa Mendes, as a heroic historical figure, is part […]

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Posted in Awards, Community, Featured, Heritage, Organizations, People, Politics, Portugal, Religion, World

COVID’19: Lisbon under siege with new outbreaks and more restrictions – Portugal

23 June 2020

The Portuguese government has ordered new restrictive measures for the Greater Lisbon and its Metropolitan Area, in order to contain the new outbreaks of COVID’19, placing 19 parishes under a state of calamity. It was reported that around 70% to 80% of the outbreaks have occurred in the poorer communities, around the industrial hubs of […]

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Posted in Featured, Heritage, Portugal, Travel