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. […]

Travel: Why the Serra da Estrela is the star of central Portugal – By Julie Dawn Fox

31 August 2014

By Julie Dawn Fox, Contributor (*) The muted clanging of sheep and goat bells drifts up from the valley to where I’m standing. Coupled with the pure mountain air and magnificent views of rocky ridges and distant plains, it’s idyllic indeed. So lovely that I’m kicking myself for putting off exploring the Serra da Estrela […]

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Posted in Featured, Heritage, Portugal, Travel

Community: President Vasco Cordeiro visits the West Coast – Hilmar, California

27 August 2014

The President of the Government of the Azores, Vasco Cordeiro, is in California for a three-day official visit with stops in Sacramento, San Jose, Tulare and Hilmar. On Tuesday, President Cordeiro met in Sacramento with State Governor, Jerry Brown, where he spoke of the importance of strengthening the cultural and affective ties between the Azorean […]

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Posted in Azores, Community, Featured, Heritage, Organizations, People, Terceira, World

Community: 28th Holy Ghost Festival of New England underway – Fall River, MA

20 August 2014

The Portuguese American community of Fall River, MA, is celebrating the 28th Holy Ghost Festival of New England starting Thursday, August 21, through Monday August 25. Held annually in August, the five-day event has become one of the largest ethnic festivals in New England.  More than 100,000 people, from all over the United States and […]

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Posted in Azores, Community, Entertainment, Featured, São Miguel, World

Accused: Sir Cliff Richard a villain or a victim? – By Len Port

19 August 2014

By Len Port, Contributor(*) Sir Cliff Richard has maintained a low profile in Portugal this week while preparing for a return to Britain to face police questioning about his alleged sexual assault on a young boy. Many thought it almost inevitable that Sir Cliff would one day be investigated for alleged child abuse and yet […]

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Posted in Entertainment, Music, People, Portugal, World

Portugal wins 16 top honors at the 2014 World Travel Awards Europe – Athens, Greece

06 August 2014

Portugal was honored with 16 top awards by the prestigious 2014 World Travel Awards Europe at the  “Oscars” of world tourism industry ceremony held in Athens, Greece. The awards went to Lisbon as the best port and cruise destination and Madeira as the best islands to vacation; cruise operator DouroAzul was awarded as the best […]

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

Report: Unemployment rate down to 13.9 % – Portugal

05 August 2014

Official data from the National Statistics Institute has reported Tuesday that Portugal’s unemployment rate has dropped to 13.9% in the second quarter of the year, down 1.2 points from the previous quarter and 2.5 points from the second quarter of 2013. At the beginning of last year the unemployment rate stood at 17.5%. The total […]

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