Mary Sansone Way (Brooklyn)
Present name:None
Location:At the intersection of DeGraw Street and Henry Street
Honoree: Mary Sansone (1916-2018) was a lifelong community activist. She founded the Congress of Italian-American Organization, a social services organization; and CURE, a nonprofit corporation dedicated to reducing ethnic and racial tension and building diverse relationships throughout the community. When her son was killed in a plane accident, she created a scholarship program in his name for high school graduates. Working for the United Nations Relief Fund, she accompanied two orphaned children to twenty-three states to raise funds for war torn Italy. The trip culminated in a visit with President Truman where she was awarded his pen used to sign the bill allocating funding for this cause. In conjunction with Bayard Rustin, she formed the first coalition of Italian, African and Spanish Americans to stop gang violence that was plaguing the city. She helped establish the New Era Democratic Club, a group which backed candidates based on their platform rather than party ties and also helped start the first pre-K programs and after- school and senior-center activities. (Lander)
LL:2021/14

Zachary Sansone Way (Brooklyn)
Present name:59th Street
Location:Between 14th Avenue and 15th Avenue
Honoree: Zachary Sansone (1916-2010) , with his wife, founded the Congress of Italian American Organizations (CIAO) in the 1960s.  It opened day care, senior and social service centers throughout the city and became one of New York’s city’s largest social service agencies.
LL:2011/47