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. […]

Community: Sagres boosting Portuguese American pride in New England – USA

01 July 2015

Portuguese tall ship NRP Sagres III is completing a two month sailing tour of the East Coast, United States, with stops in Philadelphia, New York, New Bedford and Boston harbors. In Philadelphia, Sagres participated in the Philadelphia Camden (June 25-28) ‘Tall Ships Challenge 2015’, at the Delaware River waterfront international sea festival, the largest sailing […]

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

Book: ‘Emigration and the Sea’ – Editor’s Note

30 June 2015

Today Portuguese is the seventh most widely spoken language in the world and Brazil is a new economic powerhouse. Both phenomena result from the Portuguese ‘Discoveries’ of the 15th and 16th centuries, and the Catholic missions that planted Portuguese communities in every continent. Some were part of the Portuguese empire but many survived independently under […]

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Posted in Angola, Arts&Culture, Bermuda, Books, Brazil, Canada, Cape Verde, Damão, Diu, East Timor, Featured, Goa, Guiné-Bissau, Heritage, Macau, Mozambique, Portugal, Religion, São Tomé and Prince, Travel, World

Interview: Conversation with Lélia Pereira da Silva Nunes – Brazil

29 June 2015

By Richard Simas,Contributor (*) In Lélia Pereira’s home in Florianapólis, Brazil sits an un-opened bottle of Licor do Ezekiel, the passion fruit distilled in the Azores and sometimes sold in figurines of Azorean folk characters. This particular bottle dates from her first trip to the island of São Miguel in 1988 and a visit to […]

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Posted in Arts&Culture, Azores, Books, Brazil, Community, Featured, Heritage, Life Style, Travel

Travel: TAP Air Portugal sold to American-Brazilian led consortium – Portugal

24 June 2015

A formal signing ceremony to transfer ownership of TAP Air Portugal to an American-Brazilian consortium took place in Lisbon today, June 24, in the Portuguese Ministry of Finance. The Atlantic Gateway consortium is led by David Neeleman, founder of JetBlue airline based in the United States and the CEO of Brazil’s Azul carrier. Neeleman, who holds […]

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Posted in Community, Featured, Heritage, Organizations, People

Honor: President Jorge Sampaio awarded ‘UN Mandela Prize’ – United Nations

22 June 2015

The United Nations General Assembly has honored former Portuguese President Jorge Sampaio with the first ‘UN Nelson Mandela Prize’ established last year as a tribute to Nelson Mandela, the first South Africa black president, for his legacy of reconciliation and  his role in the peaceful political transition from apartheid to democracy. President Sampaio, 75, was […]

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

Book: ‘The Eagle and the Dragon’ – Review

22 June 2015

Review by Juan José Morales (*) The first Portuguese embassy to China, headed by Tomé Pires, set out from Canton in 1517, reaching the capital Peking in December 1520. Although they carried gifts and letters from King Manuel, the Portuguese did not see the Emperor but were treated as spies, thrown into jail and some […]

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Posted in Arts&Culture, Books, Brazil, Damão, Diu, East Timor, Featured, Goa, Macau, Politics, Portugal, Religion, Travel, World