Celeste A. Morello is an American historian and criminologist specializing in the studies of the Mafia in the Philadelphia area. Recognized along with her prolific record as a nominator of buildings and artwork with the Philadelphia Historical Commission,[1] to date, she has nominated the most Pennsylvania historical markers approved by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. Morello has been called one of "the most active preservationists in the city". (Philadelphia Inquirer, January 17, 2016)
Born in Norristown Pa; resides in Philadelphia. Morello's Before Bruno: The history of the Philadelphia Mafia (Published by Jefferies and Manz, Philadelphia) is the history of the Mafia in the Philadelphia area from 1880 to 1959 when Angelo Bruno became boss of the Philadelphia crime family. Morello spent 15 years in research, during which time she personally interviewed over a dozen members of the American Mafia. Morello is "The only historian and criminologist in the United States specializing in Mafia history who is the descendant of the first Mafiosi in New York City, New Orleans and suburban Philadelphia."
In 1978, as a student at Loyola University, in Rome, Italy Morello visited with relatives in Sicily, where she became acquainted with the Sicilian Mafia in her family's history. From this, Morello posited the "Medieval Origins" of the Mafia.
Honors program, Chestnut Hill College (Philadelphia): art history (magna cum laude) and classical civilizations (cum laude) 1980; master's in sociology/criminology at St Joseph's University (Phila.) 1994; master's in history at Villanova University, 2000. Certification, Paralegal studies, Villanova University. Licensed Realtor, 1982 to 1985. Morello also learned much from the Organized Crime Strikes Force of the U.S. Attorney's Office under Deputy Chief Prosecutor Albert C. Wicks.
Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission nominations and approved:1. St. Augustine Church (Philadelphia)[2] [1] 2. St. Mary Magdalen de Pazzi Church3. Gianinni family4. Frank Gasparro5. Mario Lanza6. Eddie Lang7. Joe Venuti8. Tommy Loughran9. Eddie Gottlieb[3] 10. Harvey Pollack[4] [5] 11. Rabbi Israel Goldstein12. St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)13. Old St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church14. Old St. Joseph's Church[1] 15. Commodore John Barry[6] 16. Philadelphia Zoo17. American Bandstand[7] [8] 18. John Wanamaker19. Mother's Day20. Nicola Monachesi21. Women's Medical College of Pennsylvania22. Christian Street Hospital23. South 9th Street Market24. Benjamin Rush25. Mathew Carey26. Connie Mack27. The Barrymore Family28. Shibe Park29. African American Baseball30. Roy Campanella31. Moyamensing Prison32. Eastern State Penitentiary33. Maxfield Parrish34. W.C. Fields[1] 35. Haym Solomon36. House of Industry37. Vincent Persichetti38. The Mischianza39. Palumbo's40. Philadelphia Italian Market41. Pat's Steaks42. Samuel V. Merrick43. Jewish Hospital of Philadelphia44. The Trial of Hester Vaughan
Villanova University Digital Library("Celeste Morello Collection")Also refer to nominations at Philadelphia Historical Commission.