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 […]

Book: ‘Happy People in Tears’ by João de Melo – Editor’s Note

27 April 2015

Happy People in Tears is an award-winning tale of diaspora that takes the reader on a voyage through five worlds—the island home of São Miguel, mainland Portugal, California, New England, and Canada—experienced and suffered through the obsessive search for happiness of a poor Azorean family of nine. It is a polyphonic novel, in which the […]

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Posted in Arts&Culture, Azores, Books, Community, Featured, Genealogy, Heritage, Life Style, People, Portugal, Religion, Travel

Honor: Rev. Joaquim Carreira joins ‘Righteous of the Nations Garden’ wall of honor – Israel

27 April 2015

A Catholic priest, Joaquim Carreira, is the fourth Portuguese personality to have his name engraved on the ‘Wall of Honor’ of the ‘Righteous of the Nations Garden’ at the Yad Vashem Memorial in Jerusalem, Israel. Rev. Joaquim Carreira risked his life to save dozens of Jews, during World War II, while serving at a Rome Pontifical […]

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Posted in Awards, Featured, Heritage, People, Portugal, Religion, World

25th April: Has time come for another big change? – By Len Port

25 April 2015

By Len Port, Contributor(*) Forty-one years on from the joyous Carnation Revolution that ended half a century of dictatorship, the Portuguese are unhappy. According to the latest Eurostat opinion poll on the subject, the only less happy people in the whole of the European Union are the Bulgarians. “Overall, how satisfied are you with your […]

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Posted in Azores, Community, Featured, Madeira, Politics, Portugal, World

Book: ‘Crises of Empire’ Decolonization and Europe’s Imperial States – Editor’s Note

23 April 2015

Crises of Empire offers a comprehensive and uniquely comparative analysis of the history of decolonization in the British, French and Dutch empires. By comparing the processes of decolonization across three of the major modern empires, from the aftermath of the First World War to the late 20th century, the authors are able to analyze decolonization […]

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Posted in Angola, Arts&Culture, Books, Featured, Guiné-Bissau, Mozambique, Politics, Portugal, World

Book: ‘Portuguese Film 1930-1960’ – Editor’s Note

23 April 2015

‘Portuguese Film, 1930-1960: The Staging of the New State Regime’ provides groundbreaking analysis of Portuguese feature films produced in the first three decades of the New State (Estado Novo), a right-wing totalitarian regime that lasted between 1933 and 1974. These films, sponsored by the National Propaganda Institute (Secretariado Nacional de Propaganda), convey a conservative image […]

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Posted in Angola, Arts&Culture, Books, Cape Verde, Entertainment, Featured, Film, Guiné-Bissau, Heritage, Mozambique, People, Politics, Portugal, São Tomé and Prince, World

Community: Historic Sahar Hassamain Synagogue rededicated in Ponta Delgada – Azores

22 April 2015

Religious leaders, political representatives, dignitaries and private citizens will gather in Ponta Delgada on Thursday, April 23, to rededicate the historic Sahar Hassamain Synagogue. The event is the culmination of a 30 year struggle to save the Synagogue from ruin and preserve the Jewish legacy in the Azores. The synagogue, whose name means “Gates of […]

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Posted in Azores, Community, Faial, Featured, Genealogy, Graciosa, Heritage, Interviews, Organizations, People, Portugal, Religion, São Miguel, Terceira, Travel