In 1923, a bomb ripped through a Northwest Philadelphia home. This event, improbably, has ties to Benito Mussolini and a person who is arguably the most famous Pennsylvanian on Earth. How?
The bomb-damaged home belonged to a man named Charles Carmine Antonio Baldi. Born in 1862 in the Campania region of Italy, C.C.A. Baldi’s story was a classic immigrant-success tale. Baldi arrived to Philadelphia in 1877, where he started out as a fruit peddler.
Out of those lemons he made. . . well. . . you know. Baldi’s business empire eventually included a funeral home and bank. He also started L’Opinione, the city’s first Italian-language newspaper, and became a hugely influential civic leader.
Italian immigration to Philadelphia peaked in the early 1900s. Baldi became a titan in this growing community, much of it based in South Philadelphia. He doled out jobs. He amassed property. He was, as the papers put it, “leader” of the “Italian colony.”
And that leadership translated to real power. Baldi helped deliver votes for the city’s Republican machine. In 1915, he was named to the city’s Board of Education. And his son, C.C.A. Baldi Jr. (pictured below), served terms in City Council and the Pennsylvania State House.
While browsing through old newspaper stories about C.C.A. Baldi, I came across a headline from July 4th, 1923: “A Second Napoleon.” It was a quote from Baldi, describing Italian premier Benito Mussolini.
Baldi had just returned from Italy, where Mussolini had recently seized power. Baldi was an enthusiastic Mussolini supporter, arguing Italy needed someone who stood for “law and order.” The Inky once described Baldi as “leader of American supporters of the Fascisti movement.”
In fact, that quote above — describing Baldi’s leading role among American Mussolini backers — came from the 1923 article about his house being bombed. Media speculated that the bomb was planted by plotters who opposed Baldi’s fascist views.
I can’t find anything in the archives that says whether authorities proved anti-fascists bombed Baldi’s Philadelphia home, but it is documented that Baldi and Mussolini remained allies and friends.
Baldi died in 1930. After his death, Mussolini sent a condolence telegram to the offices of Baldi’s newspaper.
For decades following his death, Baldi was remembered as a key figure in the local Italian-American community. He’s also the namesake of a middle school in Northeast Philadelphia.
But in the early 2000s, his legacy took an unexpected turn.
That’s when a Pennsylvania-born singer burst onto the music scene. Her name? Taylor Swift.
Her connection to this story? She is C.C.A. Baldi’s great-great granddaughter.
Originally posted by Avi Wolfman-Arent (@Avi_WA) on July 3, 2024.
