Salvatore A. Cotillo | |
|---|---|
 Salvatore Cotillo in 1922 | |
| Born | November 19, 1886 Naples, Italy |
| Died | July 27, 1939 (aged 52) New York City, United States |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation(s) | Justice of the New York State Supreme Court, First District |
| Known for | The first Italian-American to serve in both houses of the New York State Legislature and the first to who served as Justice of the New York State Supreme Court |
Salvatore Albert Cotillo (November 19, 1886 – July 27, 1939) was an Italian-born New York lawyer, Democratic Party politician and judge. Elected in 1912, he was the first Italian-American to serve in both houses of the New York State Legislature and the first who served as Justice of the New York State Supreme Court. Nominated to the court in the First District, he sat on the bench from 1924 until his death in 1939.
Cotillo was a strong proponent of social and pro-labor legislation. He defended ethnic Italians against the stereotyping by Americans not of Italian descent, but also urged the need for Americanization of the Italian community. As such, he stood between the mores of the Italian ethnic ghetto in East Harlem where he grew up, and the judgment and norms of American society where he made his career.