Portuguese American Journal

Portuguese American Journal

Featured Stories
Faith May 5th | World Portuguese Language Day Celebrated Globally 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
 

Faith & Tradition | Senhor Santo Cristo dos Milagres returns May 8 – Azores

The Feast of Senhor Santo Cristo dos Milagres returns to the city of Ponta Delgada from May 8 to May 14, 2026, with the main procession scheduled for Sunday, May 10, the fifth Sunday after Easter. Considered the largest religious celebration in the Azores and among the most significant Catholic festivities in Portugal, the celebrations […]

May 5th | World Portuguese Language Day Celebrated Globally – Portugal 

World Portuguese Language Day [Dia Mundial da Língua Portuguesa] is being celebrated today across the globe, recognizing the cultural, historical, and geopolitical importance of one of the world’s most widely spoken languages.  The day is celebrated by cultural and academic initiatives in approximately 50 countries, including conferences, literary events, exhibitions, and educational programs, from Lisbon […]

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 […]

May 16th: Day of the Azores celebrates 40 years of self-rule – Azores

14 May 2016

On Monday, May 16, the Azorean people will celebrate the – ‘Day of the Azores’ – a public holiday established in 1980, dedicated  to honor Azorean self-rule as granted in the Portuguese Constitution of 1976, following the Carnation Revolution of April 25, 1974. Designated ‘Dia da Região Autónoma dos Açores’ (Day of the Autonomous Region […]

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Posted in Azores, Community, Featured, Heritage, Organizations, People, Portugal, São Miguel, World

Approved: Parliament expands reproductive rights – Portugal

13 May 2016

Portuguese Parliament has expanded reproductive rights to gay women by approving their access to artificial insemination. The measure voted Friday was restricted to married heterosexual couples and couples living in domestic partnerships for over two years. The legal changes also recognize surrogacy for women with health problems seeking pregnancy. Both measures will be effective within […]

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Posted in Featured, Heritage, Organizations, People, Portugal, World

Book: ‘300 Days of Sun’ by Deborah Lawrenson – Review

12 May 2016

Review by Susan Roebuck (*) This is the second Deborah Lawrenson novel that I’ve read. The first was The Lantern which was set in Provence, an atmospheric mystery that conjured up the sights and aromas of a beautiful landscape that transported the reader right into the story. 300 Days of Sun possesses the same wonderful […]

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Posted in Arts&Culture, Books, Featured, Portugal, Travel

Heritage: Maestro Francisco Lacerda (May 11, 1869 – July 18, 1934) – Azores

11 May 2016

Composer and conductor Francisco Lacerda was born in May 11, 1869, in Ribeira Seca, São Jorge, Azores. At the age of four he studied music with his father. In 1888, he moved to Porto, mainland Portugal, to study medicine but decided to drop out from medical school to study piano. Soon after, he moved to […]

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Posted in Arts&Culture, Azores, Community, Featured, Heritage, Music, Organizations, People, São Jorge, World

Book: ‘Rilke Shake’ poetry by Angélica Freitas – Editor’s Note

10 May 2016

Rilke Shake’s title, a pun on milkshake, means in Portuguese just what it does in English. With frenetic humor and linguistic innovation, the Brazilian poet Angélica Freitas constructs a temple of delight to celebrate her own literary canon. In this whirlwind debut collection, first published in Portuguese in 2007, Gertrude Stein passes gas in her […]

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Posted in Arts&Culture, Books, Brazil, Featured

The Week: Money, money, and more money… – By Len Port

07 May 2016

By Len Port, Contributor (*) This week’s revelations about the money laundering activities of Russian gangsters in Portuguese and other European football circles come just days before an avalanche of new information is published from the leaked Panama Papers. The Russian racket in Portugal was uncovered by the Polícia Judiária (PJ) with the support of […]

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Posted in Featured, Life Style, Organizations, Politics, Portugal, Sports, World