“Anything the individual does is recognized and American Democracy gives them a fair and reasonable chance.” Assemblyman Chas. New York City Novello 1921
In this final part of a 4-part series examining the history and heritage of Italian Americans, we will explore the importance of the family unit and neighborhood to the successful assimilation process of Italian immigrants. In the previous 3 parts, we examined the backgrounds of Italian immigrants, their reasons for coming to the United States, and the hardships they overcame.
Both in America and in Italy, the family it’s a tight-knit unit. Respect and support for the elderly is very important to Italian-American families. During the early days of immigration, the father was seen as the head of the family. Women ran the household, influencing the social and religious life of their children, as well as making important decisions regarding the family. One of the most important aspects of the Italian religion that was brought to the New World was the celebration of a patron saint: the Virgin with processions, fireworks and adoration, invoking protection for the people. In East Harlem there were 50,000 people celebrating the Feast of Mount Carmel at any one time. The Feast of Sant’Antonio is celebrated annually in the same way that Italian ancestors did and still do in Brusciano, Italy, by building a Giglio and dancing with it on the streets of Manhattan, New York.
Although the early Italian immigrants did not want to farm in the United States, many turned to working the land as a means of economic survival. While traveling across America in search of employment, some Italians took advantage of business opportunities. They turned the swampy lands of the southern regions into fertile soil. On the West Coast they grew lemons, oranges and other fruits. The wine industry was undertaken on a large scale. The first Italian immigrants became suppliers of fruits and vegetables to large cities, contributing significantly to the economic strength of the United States. Skilled Italians worked as bricklayers, stonemasons, mechanics, shoemakers, tailors, musicians, and barbers, plying their trades and trades in the neighborhoods and cities in which they lived. Those who were unskilled in the early 20th century were forced to take jobs as common laborers and factory workers, finding employment in shipyards, mines, railroads, and in construction.
Many became street vendors, selling fruits and vegetables. Some worked as waiters in restaurants and hotels. Gradually, the familiar sight of Italian vendors displaying their wares in pushcarts was seen along the busy streets of Little Italy and down First Avenue in Italian Harlem. Small businesses began to proliferate throughout the United States within Italian communities and became an important part of the settlement process. These small Italian companies not only played an important role in their own economic progress, but also gained key positions in the business system that has made the United States what it is today, the financial center of the world.
As the Italian population increased, a leading Italian newspaper, “Il Progresso Italo-Americano” was established in New York. Its purpose was to help strengthen the immigrants’ ties with Italy. This newspaper was an influential tool that helped the Italian immigrant assimilate into American society. One of the largest and most influential Italian organizations established in America began in New York City in 1905, the “Order of the Sons of Italy in America”, which provided numerous benefits, meeting the needs of Italians living in this country. . The Sons of Italy were very helpful in softening the demeaning image of the “Wop”, providing psychological compensation through their Italian-American program, keeping the love of Italy alive, preserving the Italian language, and highlighting Columbus Day as a symbol of solidarity. between America and Italy.
Let’s not forget the founding of “NIAF,” the National Italian American Foundation, which not only preserves the rich history of Italian Americans but also lauds their countless contributions to American society. NIAF’s efforts have enabled many Italian Americans to realize their academic, artistic, and cultural dreams while contributing to the tradition of their great heritage. It also supports education by offering scholarships and research awards for Italian-American students.
The Great Depression hit Italian Americans hard, especially men who worked in the construction industry. Regular employment was hard to come by to support and feed their large families. Then the wives had to do homework just to keep their family afloat. It was easier for women to find work. Even the children needed to help. If the wife was lucky enough to find work outside the home, she still had to continue doing her housework, cooking, washing dishes, laundry, and looking after the children. At the end of the day, the exhausted wife would sometimes fall asleep at the table until she left for work the next day. One thing is for sure, as a rule, unemployed men would never take over the housework. The role of wife, mother, and working woman was not an easy task during the early years of immigration and the depression. As the Italian woman became more Americanized, “He assumed the dominant values and fought for education and equality.” In the 1920s and 1930s, Italian Americans were beginning to assimilate into the American way of life. In the 1940s, there were still a large number of unemployed Italians, but then the economy began to improve. In the 1950s, Italian Americans were able to move to better housing and sanitary conditions. World War II was a major turning point for Italian Americans when it came to acceptance into American society. The improvement in the American economy, the expansion of higher education, suburbanization, and government assistance to veterans all occurred in the years after World War II. These conditions provided opportunities for the second generation of Italian Americans. They made rapid progress in achieving home ownership success, which gave them respectability and independence. Of all immigrant groups in the United States, they were known to have the highest percentages of home ownership. Owning a home was also a step toward assimilation.
Since the 1890s, the term “mafia” along with crime and violence has been unfairly associated with Italian-Americans. This negative image has prevailed as public prejudice. The percentage of Italian-Americans who have been involved in organized crime is small compared to the vast majority of hard-working, law-abiding, patriotic, and civic-minded American citizens.
After the great era of Italian immigration, which began in the late 1800s and early 1900s, Italian immigrants have steadily moved into the mainstream of American society and have seen their children grow up as Americans. Many have moved from poverty and working class jobs to higher levels of education, resulting in high achievement and economic success. Italian-Americans have become respected members of their communities, contributing their talents and knowledge to America at large in the fields of the arts, entertainment, politics, and much more.
Rooted in customs and traditions held sacred in Old World culture, early Italian immigrants in their attempt to transfer these same family values and traditions to America created divisions and conflicts between both generations. The second generation found themselves straddling two cultures while developing their own identity. They Americanized too quickly, undergoing a substantial degree of change. They did not preserve the language, traditions or customs, nor did they accept the way of thinking of their immigrant parents. As the second generation became fully absorbed into the American mainstream, their lifestyle practices, clothing, and recreation and entertainment choices created a schism between the two generations. This culminated in much irritation, friction, and unhappiness. Interest in Old World culture became minimal or non-existent. However, the flip side of this is that there have always been Americans of Italian descent who would experience the best of both worlds, proudly preserving aspects of their culture and celebrating the legacy their ancestors once brought to their newly adopted home while they enjoyed the best. that American culture has to offer. Today, we are all Americans, but Italian-Americans hold a unique place in building the foundation of American Society, proudly celebrating both the heritage that helped them earn their place in this great melting pot of cultures and the position they occupy in modern America. !