Dante League of America

Title: Dante League of America
Description: The Society was founded by Heloise Durant Rose in 1917 "for a popular propaganda for the study of Dante" . It organised lectures and events, and was deeply involved in the coordination of activities for the celebration of the 1921 Dante centenary in America. The Society received praises and official institutional support from the Queen of Italy and of Mussolini.

The society organised cycles of lectures
In 1924, Benito Mussolini wrote a letter to Rose to thank her 'for the effective work he feels is being done by Heloise Durant Rose, founder of the Dante League of America, in creating better cordiality between Italy and the United States' (New York Times, 24 Nov. 1924, 19); "A Letter from Queen Margherita"; "A Dante Celebration"; According to John H. Mariano, 'it includes in its membership perhaps more American than Italians. It is an instance of almost purely Anglo-Saxon effort to effect a wider appreciation of Italian art and culture, and in this it centres its attention for the most part upon the work and literature of Dante. The purpose of the league is to promote the knowledge and the study of Dante, his works, language, literature and country, by popular lectrures, and to prepare for a celebration in 1921 of the sixth hundreth aniversary of his death. The league has alreadty established at Buffalo.

Annual dues
Regular members .... $ 2.00
College and University students.... $ 1.00
Patrons....$ 50.00
Sustaining members ....$ 10.00
Benefactors.... $ 25.00
Life Members... $ 100.00; Much of the correspondence relating to the Dante League is held at Syracuse University. Correspondents include authors (Poultney Bigelow, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Joyce Kilmer, Edwin Markham, James Whitcomb Riley, Corinne Roosevelt Robinson, William Roscoe Thayer, Post Wheeler); publishers (Arthur Brisbane, G. H. Putnam); diplomats (Paul Claudel, Whitelaw Reid); and educators (Virginia Gildersleeve, Andrew D. White).; Heloise Durant Rose Letters - Syracuse University
Relation: Rose, Heloise Durant (1873-1945)
Date: 1917, f.