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. […]

Immigration | Thousands of undocumented migrants to be repatriated – Portugal

07 May 2025

Portugal is currently undertaking measures to expel over 18,000 undocumented migrants, the incumbent caretaker Prime Minister Luís Montenegro announced early in May. The initiative was detailed by Minister of the Presidency António Leitão Amaro, who stated that the government would begin issuing expulsion notices starting this week. The initial phase involves notifying around 4,500 individuals, […]

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

May 5th | World Portuguese Language Day – Portugal

04 May 2025

World Portuguese Language Day is celebrated annually on May 5th, in about 50 countries, to honor the global significance of the Portuguese language and the diverse cultures of Lusophone (Portuguese-speaking) countries. On this day, various cultural events and activities are organized worldwide to raise awareness of the importance of Portuguese as a global language and […]

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

Opinion | Four Portuguese cardinals are in contention for the papacy | Len Port

01 May 2025

There is the intriguing possibility that a Portuguese, or at least a Portuguese-speaking, cardinal will succeed Pope Francis as the global head of the Catholic Church. This suggestion follows the astonishing power cut across Portugal and Spain, which prompted widespread speculation about a Russian cyber-attack, or even Armageddon—the end-of-the-world prophecy described in the Book of […]

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

Book | Slavery and Religious Conversion in Portugal’s Indian Empire, 1500-1700 | By Stephanie Hassel – Editor’s Note

29 April 2025

In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, enslaved Africans and Asians were part of the larger Portuguese project of building and maintaining a Catholic empire in the Indian Ocean. Both the Church and the Crown influenced the owner-slave relationship across households, the most basic organizational unit of power over the populace. Responsible for their enslaved dependents’ […]

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Posted in Arts&Culture, Books, Featured, Heritage, Portugal, Religion, World

Travel Alert | Massive power outage paralysed airports  – Portugal

28 April 2025

Portugal experienced a nationwide power outage today, April 28, as part of a widespread blackout that also affected Spain, France, and other European countries. The exact cause is still under investigation. The outage began around 12:30 p.m. local time, severely disrupting airports in major cities including Lisbon, Porto, and Faro. The Lisbon Metro, trains, and […]

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

Azores | Pace University students visited the Azores to learn about Viola da Terra – New York, NY

27 April 2025

Pace University students, enrolled in the “Producing the Documentary” course (MCA 370/MCA 655), recently traveled to the Azorean islands of São Miguel and Terceira to film a documentary titled Viola da Terra: Harmony of the Azores. As part of a faculty-led study abroad program, the project explored the cultural significance of the Viola da Terra, […]

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Posted in Arts&Culture, Azores, Community, Education, Entertainment, Featured, Film, Heritage, Music, Organizations, People, São Miguel, Terceira