Author Archives
Harry Karapalides
Philly’s Historic Greektown Rises Again
“For the Greeks, this area was the mecca of meccas,” said Georgia Generalis in a February 1986 Philadelphia Inquirer interview. Generalis was a well-known member of Greektown, who ran the Hellenic Center on south 10th…
This Date In History: A Greek, a Bomb, an Airplane, and a Turkish Ship
February 5, 1913: During the Balkan Wars, a Greek Farman MF.7 airplane, piloted by Lt. Michael Moutoussis and with Ensign Aristeidis Moraitinis as an observer, dropped four bombs on Turkish anchored ships and is regarded…
Yes, We Have No Bananas
As an American of Greek descent, and just like my cousins to the north in Canada, and all of the Greek diaspora around the world, I am always searching and scanning the internet, books, movies,…
A Rolls Royce And Koulourakia
Back in 2019, the Greek American Heritage Society of Philadelphia, who I am a member of, held its annual Photo Tour and Exhibition. That year, the Photo Tour was entitled, “Axia – A Celebration of…
A Lifetime Of Inspiration
Inspiration comes in many forms; a painting, a song, a speech, or even just a sunrise. Inspiration is all around us, but how many people can say that something truly inspired them and that inspiration…
You’re Greek, We’re Greek, We All Greek!
I see on Facebook and other social media, comments about who is a Greek and who isn’t a Greek, or better yet, what makes a Greek? There was a recent article on Cosmos Philly about…
This Date in History: An 800 Year Apology
May 4, 2001: Pope John Paul II visits Athens and makes apologies for the sins of the Crusader attack on Constantinople in 1204. April 8, 1204, a combined Crusader army, on the way to establish…
A Grand Old Lady
She was born in Glasgow, Scotland, carried allied troops across the Atlantic and around the world, carried immigrants from the Old World to the New World, and after four decades of service, met an uneventful…
We’re Living History
It’s been hell the last few weeks, and we’re not out of the woods yet. But we will be soon. Have faith, my friends. When this pandemic first hit us, we were all gung-ho to…
A Man Without A Country
Last week I received devastating news. News that crushed the very moral fabric of my being. Disturbing news that was like a dagger being stuck into my soul and ripping out my broken heart. In…
A Coronavirus Diary
I predict that in a hundred years from now, archeologists will discover a diary in an archeological dig in Philadelphia dated from March 2020. They will be stupefied at what they read. Dear diary. My…
A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Lexi
Look at that picture. It’s worth a thousand words. That is a picture of Paul. Also known as Pavlo. He’s from Greece. Came here when he was a kid. We all know Paul and if…
