Portuguese American Journal

Portuguese American Journal

Featured Stories
1976-2026 | Azoreans mark 50 years of Autonomy with solemn ceremony Canada | Brampton to inaugurate replica of Portas da Cidade 100 years ago | Devastating earthquake shook Faial Island Sports | Fernando Pimenta world canoeing champion Community | 20th Anniversary of Portas da Cidade Celebration
 

1976-2026 | Azoreans mark 50 years of Autonomy with solemn ceremony – Horta, Faial

The Autonomous Region of the Azores marked a historic milestone with a Solemn Session on Friday, September 4, at the inaugural session of the Regional Assembly in Horta, Faial, honoring the 50th anniversary of the establishment of self-government. The Regional Assembly’s first solemn session took place exactly 50 years ago in Horta and was presided […]

Canada | Brampton to inaugurate replica of Portas da Cidade – Toronto, Ontario

One of the most recognizable symbols of the Azores, Portas da Cidade (City Gates) of Ponta Delgada, will soon have a new home in Brampton, in Canada’s Greater Toronto Area. The inauguration of a full-scale replica of the historic monument is scheduled for September 12, 2026, at Azores Park, 100 Malta Avenue.  The monument will […]

100 years ago | Devastating earthquake shook Faial Island – Azores

One hundred years ago today, on the morning of August 31, 1926, the island of Faial was violently shaken by one of the most destructive earthquakes in the modern history of the Azores.  A century later, the Museu da Horta is commemorating the disaster with historical photographs, educational activities and an earthquake-preparedness exercise involving about […]

Sports | Fernando Pimenta world canoeing champion – Poznan, Poland

Portuguese canoeing star Fernando Pimenta was crowned world champion in the K1 1000 meters, winning a dramatic final at the Canoe Sprint World Championships in Poznan, Poland, on August 29, 2026.  The achievement adds another historic chapter to the career of the athlete from Ponte de Lima, widely regarded as Portugal’s greatest canoeist. Pimenta currently […]

Community | 20th Anniversary of Portas da Cidade Celebration – Fall River, MA

Mayor Paul Coogan, in conjunction with the Portas da Cidade Advisory Committee and the Prince Henry Society, will host a special ceremony commemorating the 20th anniversary of the Portas da Cidade (City Gates), one of Fall River’s most recognizable symbols of its Azorean heritage.  The celebration will take place Monday, August 31, at 10:30 am […]

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