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History Of Italian Immigration

History Of Italian Immigration. 1870 – 1920’s. History of Italian Immigration 1870 – 1920’s. More Italians have immigrated to the US than any other Europeans. (5.5 million) More to South America than to North America.

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History Of Italian Immigration

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  1. History OfItalianImmigration 1870 – 1920’s

  2. History of Italian Immigration1870 – 1920’s • More Italians have immigrated to the US than any other Europeans. (5.5 million) • More to South America than to North America. • Spurred by POVERTY, overpopulation and NATURAL DISASTERS, (gov. [1861]mistreated the South!) • Mt Vesuvius & Mt Etna early 20 Century, 1908 an earthquake & Tidal wave killed 100,000 people (of Messina). • Illiteracy was 70% (mostly south of Rome) • Government dominated by Northern Italians. • Northern Italians who migrated were merchants, vintners.

  3. History of Italian Immigration1870 - 1920 • Southern Italians came to WORK, save money, then return to Italy!!!!! (“NOT A REJECTION OF ITALY”) • “Birds of Passage” – immigrants never interested to make US their permanent home – migratory laborers, very few farmers. • 70% were young men (20’s-30’s) - <20% returned to Italy. • Same forces pressured the Chinese, French, Greeks, Japanese, Mexicans & Slavs • (By 1990 >65% ItaloAmericans were managerial, professional or white collar workers.)

  4. Beltrani History1900 -2000 • FB born 1900, first-born, two years of formal education. • Apprenticeship at Armstrong Shipyard in Pozzuoli, Italy age 7; employed at Armstrong Shipyard until 1918, conscripted. • Upon discharge 1919, set sail for USA. • Arrived in NYC – knowing no English, having no contacts, and unemployed, with few cloths, a Melzi, and several Piedigrotta songbooks. • Slept at a “flophouse” on the Bowery first few nights in “America”.

  5. BeltraniHistory1900 -2000 • FB employed in Brooklyn 1919 as a machinist (and “singer”). • Returned to Italy 1923 – returned to NYC in 9 mos. • Employed, returned to Italy 1927 – returned to NYC in 6 mos. • Employed, Married October 1930, and left for Italy! • Returned to NYC June 1931, Unemployed, VSB born August 1931, my mom was “Breadwinner” until 1933, (then again 1941-1944) .

  6. BeltraniHistory1931 - 2000 • VSB born in Brooklyn – in an Italian/Jewish ghetto. • I never saw my father leave our apartment without a shirt and tie, wearing a suit jacket. (I wore a shirt and tie to school from kindergarten to medical school! Yet often called “a wop!”) • FB was an operaphile – and I saw my first opera (Il Barbiere di Siviglia) at age four. I learned the words to “Celeste Aida” before any American song. • We listened to the Italian radio stations (WHOM &WEVD) almost exclusively, went to Italian theater and movies – every weekend. • I did not learn English until I started kindergarten.

  7. BeltraniHistory1931 -2000 • In 1930 2 million people spoke Italian in the USA. In 2000 1 million people spoke Italian in the USA • I learned the alphabet watching my father using his Melzi while doing crossword puzzles in Il Progresso. • I started Public school (158) in 1936, then BJHS (64) and Boys High School, CUNY (Brooklyn) and graduated Columbia Medical School in 1957. • My children graduated from Vassar, Columbia, & Barnard. • My Grandchildren graduated from Skidmore, Carnegie- Mellon, RISD, Syracuse, Oneonta, and Tufts.

  8. “GodBlessAmerica”

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