The Canarsie Hall of Fame earlier this month added seven new inductees to its esteemed roster.
The history preservation group opens submissions annually, allowing community members to nominate local history-makers for consideration.
These efforts are led by Ramon Martinez, who has served as Canarsie community historian since 2001. He said the Hall of Fame especially honors “those who worked hard for the community and have since been forgotten over time.”
The induction took place on July 2 and included a history fair and a community walking tour.
This year’s hall of fame inductees represent individuals who have worked to improve Canarsie through service, leadership and community advocacy.
Gustav A. Richter
Richter moved to Canarsie in 1893 and spent the next seven decades filling it with music. As an accomplished musician, he led various bands — including the 23rd Regiment Band, the Dutch Reformed Church Band and the Manhattan Beach Park Band. He played in dance halls across Canarsie.
In 1919, he became the first bandmaster commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant by former Governor Charles Whitman. He was also a self-employed artist, painting attractions for Luna and Dream Land parks in Coney Island. Richter died in 1968.
Victor E. Lopez
Lopez, a lifelong resident and owner of Popkins Motor Parts, was active in many local organizations, including the Canarsie Pals Club and the Top Hatters Civic Organization. He founded the Glenwood Gun Club and was a longtime member and president of the Canarsie Lions Club.
He supported the community generously—providing the first month’s rent for the Canarsie Volunteer Ambulance Corps and offering company vehicles to assist with events. Lopez died in 1984.
Joseph M. Molinari
A U.S. Army Staff Sergeant in WWII, Molinari helped found the St. Pius Knights of Columbus, raised over $140,000 to support Our Lady of Miracles Church and served as Grand Marshal of the famed feast of Christ the King.
Molinari was elected grand knight multiple times, wrote the group’s bylaws and was integral in acquiring their permanent headquarters. He never stopped giving back — until his death in 1984.
MaryAnne R. Sallustro
Born in 1944, Sallustro was an accomplished Canarsie civic advocate who, as far back as the 1970s, fought for community issues. In 1993, she founded the South Canarsie Civic Association, which garnered mass attendance from residents. She fought for issues like better drainage, zoning redistricting and compost dumps.
Among her achievements, she was once named “Woman of the Year” by former Governor George Pataki. Sallustro died in March 2024.
Antonio Bianco
Born in Abruzzo, Italy in 1871, Bianco immigrated to Brooklyn in 1899. He dedicated his life to helping fellow immigrants thrive.
Bianco formed the Christopher Columbus Society, helped to promote home ownership, establish businesses and fought to establish gas mains in the neighborhood.
He was experienced in real estate and eventually served in the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce. He also wrote columns for the Canarsie Courier in Italian to support the immigrant population.
During his time as a civic leader, Bianco helped many Italian immigrants acclimate to America, and did so until he died in 1934.
Hon. Carmelo Tavormina
A U.S. Army veteran and Presidential Citation honoree, Tavormina was a Brooklyn Civil Court judge. He was a member of the Canarsie Chamber of Commerce, secretary of the Canarsie Community Council, co-chairman of the Canarsie Youth Center, a delegate for the community and Kings County district attorney and more.
A staunch advocate for education, he sponsored a variety of community programming for children and encouraged them to familiarize themselves with local history. A Canarsie celebrity, Tavormina died in 1995.
Jack Solomon
Born in 1908, Solomon was a WWII veteran, attorney and dedicated community advocate. He founded the Canarsie Interfaith Blood Bank, led the 69th Precinct’s youth fundraising and earned accolades like the B’nai B’rith Anti-Defamation League’s human rights award.
From pushing better bus service in the neighborhood to championing Catholic-Jewish relations, Solomon’s mission was about building bridges and creating opportunities for all. He lived and served in Canarsie for decades, well into the 1990s.
