The Italian American community of Delaware: Veni, vidi, vici.
One of their own gets his due tribute.
Caesar Rodney, one of America's earliest citizens of Italian descent, will get his place of renewed honor this year. He is among the nation's greatest Founding Fathers, yet few know about him, and those that do, don’t fully appreciate him.
Had Caesar Rodney not answered the call of duty in July 1776, the course of American history might have been very different. The Italian Americans of Delaware know this and have put together an innovative, fun way to pay tribute to Caesar Rodney.
Ciro Poppiti III, organizer of 250 Ride, in contemporary attire (top) and dressed in colonial style at a recent event for the Caesar Rodney re-enactment
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All Hail Caesar
It was 250 years ago. Delaware was in deadlock—her delegates were split on the question of independence. Rodney was called to cast the majority vote to decide for Delaware. The only problem was that he was not in Philadelphia. Rather, he was 82 miles away in Dover.
On the night of July 1, 1776, Rodney mounted his horse to ride through rain and darkness to Philadelphia. He made it just in time to cast Delaware's deciding vote for independence. America was born!
For that reason alone, Rodney deserves a prominent place in the American story. Yet despite his indispensable role in the nation's founding, his story is rarely told. While generations of Americans have learned about Washington, Jefferson, Franklin, and Adams, Rodney has often been overlooked by the media, academia, and popular culture.
In 2020, amid nationwide protests and debates over historic monuments, after the death of George Floyd, Wilmington's bronze equestrian statue of Caesar Rodney was removed from Rodney Square, where the monument had stood since 1923. Critics focused on Rodney's status as an eighteenth-century slave owner, while supporters pointed to his crucial role in creating the United States.
Now, as the nation approaches the 250th anniversary of its founding, Delaware's Italian American community is helping restore Rodney's story to its rightful place in American memory. They will re-enact his historic ride to Philadelphia.
Before and after—Caesar Rodney monument, in Wilmington, Delaware, was removed in 2020 after the George Floyd riots
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Leading The Way
Spearheading the effort is Ciro Poppiti III, founder of the Delaware Italian American Foundation. He is the driving force behind the 250 Ride, an ambitious reenactment of Rodney's legendary journey from Dover to Philadelphia.
Poppiti is one of the most energetic and accomplished leaders in Delaware's Italian American community. A multitasker—he’s an attorney, public official, military officer, educator, and community advocate. He has spent years building bridges between history, public service, and civic engagement. Since 2010, he has served as the elected Register of Wills for New Castle County, where he championed efforts to recover unclaimed estate assets. He is also a partner at Freeh Sporkin & Sullivan LLP, concentrating on commercial, corporate, and estate matters.
Before a career in law, Poppiti was an actor in supporting roles for feature films such as “Lucas,” “Crutches,” and “Italian Movie.” He appeared as a guest chef with Mary Ann Esposito in the television cooking show, “Ciao Italia.” As America approaches its 250th birthday, Poppiti will don a Colonial era costume and ride a horse when he plays the role of Caesar Rodney in the coming re-enactment.
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Hitting the Road
The 250 Ride reenacts Rodney's historic overnight journey from Dover to Philadelphia. Although historians cannot identify every mile of the original route with certainty, most agree Rodney traveled through:
Dover
Smyrna
Middletown
New Castle
Crossing into Pennsylvania
Chester
Philadelphia
The journey will be done by Ciro Poppiti, on horseback, followed by a horse and buggy manned by Amish volunteers. The event is free and open to the public.
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One of the First Italian Americans
Caesar Rodney's Italian heritage comes to us through genealogical research tracing part of his ancestry to the Adelmare family of Treviso, in Italy's Veneto region. The family lineage includes Sir Caesar Adelmare, an Italian physician who settled in England during the Tudor era. Through that connection, Rodney is often recognized by Italian American historians as one of the earliest Americans of Italian descent to play a pivotal role in the nation's founding.
That heritage makes the 250 Ride especially meaningful for Italian Americans. The event serves not only as a commemoration of a Revolutionary War hero but also as a reminder that Americans of Italian ancestry were present at the nation's creation.
The commemorative journey begins at historic Christ Episcopal Church in Dover, located beside Delaware's Legislative Hall. The morning will open with an interdenominational prayer service focused on unity, reflection, and reconciliation. Community members, clergy, re-enactors, and visitors will gather to honor not only Rodney's ride but also the broader story of America's founding.
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Delaware Celebration
Guests will have an opportunity to meet members of the "Unheard Voices of the Revolution," a program dedicated to recognizing individuals whose contributions to the Revolutionary era have often been overlooked. Visitors will also be able to view the historic carriage, meet Caesar Rodney re-enactors, and explore the church grounds before the journey begins.
Rodney and the re-enactors will depart on the first leg of their journey toward Thousand Acre Farm in Middletown, where the day's activities will conclude with the 250 Ride Gala.
Unlike a traditional historical pageant confined to a single location, the 250 Ride unfolds across multiple communities over two days, tracing Rodney's historic route from Dover to Philadelphia to Independence Hall.
Supporting the project are Co-Producer and Route Manager Hugo A. Immediato Jr., a veteran of Delaware's hospitality and tourism industries; Chief Marketing Officer Jesse Heninger, whose background spans professional sports, live events, hospitality, and strategic communications; and Event Director Lisa Marcozzi, whose organizational leadership has helped coordinate the many moving parts of this ambitious undertaking.
Opportunities to witness history in motion are rare. As the nation approaches July 4, 2026, the 250 Ride offers a powerful reminder that the course of history can turn on the actions of a single individual willing to answer the call of duty.
Caesar Rodney rides again!
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Editor’s Note: For more information, please visit 250Ride.org.
The web site for the Delaware Italian American Foundation is https://delawareitalians.org
READ HERE THE NEW EDITION - FIRST 2026 PRIMO
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