Rose Basile Green was an American scholar, poet, and educator. Among her publications were a study of Italian-American writers, titled The Italian American Novel: A Document of the Interaction of Two Cultures (1974), and several volumes of poetry, specializing in the sonnet form. She was also a founder of Cabrini College and the first chair of its English department.
Rose Basile was born on December 19, 1914, in New Rochelle, New York, the daughter of Salvatore and Carolina Galgano Basile. Her father's family migrated to the United States from southern Italy.She grew up on a farm in Connecticut where she and her siblings went to school in a one-room schoolhouse. She received a B.A. in English from the College of New Rochelle in 1935, an M.A. in Italian studies from Columbia University in 1941, and a Ph.D. in American civilization from the University of Pennsylvania in 1962.
After earning her B.A., she spent a year in working for the WPA Writer’s project. Afterwards she remained in the area for six more years, teaching English and Italian at Torrington High School and dramatics in the night school program. From 1942 to 1943, she was registrar and associate professor of English at the University of Tampa. From 1943 to 1953, she wrote radio scripts for NBC and then taught English at Temple University from 1953 to 1957.
In 1957, she co-founded Cabrini College and became the first chairman of its English Department. She taught there until she retired in 1970. After retiring from teaching in 1970, she continued to publish poetry and scholarly works. In 1975, she published The Italian American Novel: A Document of the Interaction of Two Cultures, which examines the work of 70 Italian-American writers. It was the first major scholarly work of its kind, and laid the groundwork for analysis of recurring themes in Italian-American literature, such as the "isolated immigrant" and the "alien marginalized by the established society." Her sonnet collection, Primo Vino (1975), also celebrates Italian Americans, focusing on the family, the home, community life, outstanding Italian Americans, and residents of "Little Italy."
She married Raymond S. Green, a broadcasting executive, on June 20, 1942. The couple had two children.
Historian Frank Cavaioli named her an influential Italian American, writing:
Scholar/poet Rose Basile Green has shaped twentieth century awareness of Italian American literature. Her seminal work on the Italian American novel and her poems celebrating Italian heroes and Italian themes have contributed to the rich tapestry of American culture. Her career has served as a model in the women's movement for respect and equality, especially Italian American women.
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