Mayor of Wooster
Square” Honored

Allan Appel Photo

She blocked bulldozers from slicing through Wooster Square in the name of urban renewal, planted cherry trees, and advocated for mixed development before it had a name. She argued with six mayors and paved the way for women politicians like her daughter Rosa. And no one could hold a candle to the way she canvassed for votes climbing tenement steps in 3‑inch heels.

Those were some of the accolades offered up Saturday to describe the achievements of the longest serving-alderman — 35 years— in New Haven history, retired Wooster Square representative Luisa DeLauro.

More than 200 friends from the old Italian neighborhood and politicians old and new gathered Saturday afternoon to officially dedicate the Academy and Chapel Street intersection as Alderwoman Luisa DeLauro Corner.

Speaker after speaker remembered equally for the fierceness of Luisa DeLauro’s advocacy and the tastiness of the cookies she baked to sustain her partisans.

Although the 97-year-old Luisa DeLauro did not herself speak, she waved graciously and absorbed proclamations by city, state and federal officials, and many neighbors like herself who have lived on Wooster Square for more than half a century — longer than many of the trees she helped to plant to beautify the square.

(l-r) Jackson-Brook, Parker, Murphy, Jepsen

Among the well-wishers were Connecticut Attorney General George Jepsen, U.S. Rep. (and Senate candidate) Chris Murphy, the mayors of New and East Haven and Hamden, at least three New Haven mayoral hopefuls, half the current Board of Aldermen, a dozen former aldermen, Wooster Square neighbor Hank Parker (three-term state treasurer and the city’s first African-American mayoral aspirant), State Rep. Pat Dillon, and a baker’s dozen of DeLauro family members and friends.

Michael Smart, who followed Vinnie Mauro in succeeding Luisa DeLauro as Ward 8 alderman, was the chief organizer of the appreciation.

He was introduced by emcee Michelle DiLieto, the daughter-in-law of former mayor Biagio DiLieto, with the words, Benvenuto, Michael.” Smart declared: Luisa is [still] alderman of this ward. I’m just her assistant.”

In many ways the ceremony was also a reunion of neighbors and door-knockers from what participants described as the hard-nosed but humane Democratic campaigns of the last two generations in New Haven. Many of the accolades of Luisa took the forms of memories of how she, her late husband Ted, and daughter Rosa have affected people’s lives.

State Senate Majority Leader Martin Looney presented the state’s official appreciation. He called Rosa and Luisa iconic figures” in the neighborhood and the naming of the corner an honor long overdue.

Former State Treasurer Henry Parker said he met Luisa and Ted DeLauro in connection with the redevelopment of Court Street. He recalled a conversation with the late Gov. Ella Grasso when he joined her ticket. She said to me, How did you learn so much about the Italian community?’ I said, You know Luisa DeLauro?’ [She said] Yes.’ Now you know how I know about Italians.”

Emiddio Cavaliere, 85, ran his eponymous grocery store on Wooster Street for 65 years until he retired in 1999. It was next to the DeLauro family’s pastry shop. He recalled that Luisa became alderwoman when her husband Ted, already on the Board of Aldermen, got a job with the city’s new redevelopment agency.

She loved the neighborhood. They called her mayor of Wooster Square,” he said

When Congresswoman DeLauro took the microphone on behalf of her mom, she acknowledged by name and glance Cavaliere and two dozen other politicians and neighbors across the generations. She reminded former Alderman Tomas Reyes that Luisa had decided to call him Tomasso.”

Looking out on the crowd, she declared, The diversity of this group is a testament to this community” and to her mother’s spirit.

Recalling the early days of urban renewal in New Haven, Rosa DeLauro said, My mom and dad literally stood in front of bulldozers when the attempt to bring the highway through [was made].

When there were no crosswalks at Conte School, they walked the children across.

State Sen. Martin Looney presents

They were tough hard-nosed politicians but knew at the end the purpose was to serve, their daughter said. They were fierce Democratic partisans, and that’s great, especially these days.”

DeLauro concluded by saying her mother also paved the way for women politicians by more than holding her own in a male-dominated business. She concluded by reading from a ward Democratic newsletter from 1933.

In it Luisa wrote about how at meetings the women appeared to be timid and didn’t speak. Come on, girls, let’s make ourselves heard,” she wrote.

If my mother had been given the opportunities I had, she would have ruled the world. As is, she ruled this area,” Rosa said.

The misspelling of DeLauro with a little l” on the newly minted street sign high above was hardly noticed among the expressions of joy, congratulations, and the recollections of political fights fought long ago.

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