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. […]

Job Opportunity: Visiting Professor of Portuguese Studies – UMass Lowell, MA

06 March 2023

The Luso-American Development Foundation (FLAD) in Lisbon, Portugal, and the Saab Center for Portuguese Studies in the University of Massachusetts Lowell College of Fine Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences announce the FLAD/Saab Visiting Professorship in Portuguese Studies for Spring Semester 2024. This program is a three-year collaboration that sponsors a one-semester a year, open-rank, Visiting Professor of Portuguese Studies at UMass […]

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Posted in Arts&Culture, Azores, Community, Education, Featured, Madeira, Organizations, Portugal

Book | Historical Dictionary of Portugal | by Douglas L. Wheeler – Editor’s Note

24 February 2023

Portugal is a small Western European nation with a large, distinctive past replete with both triumph and tragedy. One of the continent’s oldest nation-states, Portugal has frontiers that are essentially unchanged since the late 14th century. The country’s unique character and 850-year history as an independent state present several curious paradoxes. As of 1974, when […]

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Posted in Arts&Culture, Books, Community, Education, Featured, Heritage, People, Portugal, World

Douglas Wheeler: Portuguese History and Culture Scholar died age 85 – Durham (NH)

24 February 2023

Douglas L. Wheeler, an Emeritus Professor of History at the University of New Hampshire, who specialized in the history of Portugal and its former empire, has died age 85, his family has disclosed. A celebration of his life will be held on March 25, 2023, at 2:00PM at the Community Church of Durham, (NH). A […]

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

Science: First baby conceived with semen from deceased father – Portugal

23 February 2023

For the first time in Portugal, a baby was conceived with semen from a man who has already died, placing Portugal among of the few countries in the world to allow post-mortem insemination. The mother, Angela Ferreira, took the lead in the fight for the legalization of cryopreserved semen insemination in Portugal, becoming pregnant with […]

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Posted in Featured, People, Portugal, World

Opinion | Deluge of scandals has rocked the Catholic Church – By Len Port

21 February 2023

As the shockwaves of last week’s revelations about child sexual abuse within the Catholic Church in Portugal subside somewhat, it is worth remembering that Catholicism has been at the forefront of atrocious behavior towards children for centuries. The Catholic Church has certainly not been the only religious or political entity involved in inhumane activity, and […]

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

Report: Portuguese Catholic Church clergy sexually abused thousands of children – Portugal

16 February 2023

An official report published this week has revealed that members of the Portuguese Catholic Church, mostly priests, have sexually abused at least 4,815 children over the past 70 years. An investigative commission, headed by child psychiatrist Pedro Strecht, has reported that most perpetrators (77%) were priests, and 57% of the victims were male. The report […]

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