The Italian Immigrant Experience(1)

The Italian Immigrant Experience is my narration. I am the author of this essay. I describe how the Italian immigrants left their places of birth in pursuit of the "American Dream," which symbolized for them democracy, equality, liberty, justice and most of all, material well-being. A description of their struggles and despair of living in horrendous conditions of tenement living amid the crime, filth and disease, offers the reader a personal glimpse of immigrant living during the 1800s into the early 1900s. I also mention their final triumph overcoming obstacles of discrimination, illiteracy and poverty giving place to a new image of productive and successful American citizens.

"Between 1881 and 1917 about four million Italians arrived. By 1910, the Italian-born population of the United States was 1,343,070. The Italian peasant was the poorest in Europe. In 1905, 323,000 Italians were ill of malaria and thousands of them died. There were also periodic earthquakes that wiped out entire towns especially in Calabria. During the years 1906, 1907, 1913 and 1914, the Italian emigrants to the United States would exceed approximately 250,000 a year." (1)

The gold rush to California attracted immigrants from every part of the world. . Much of America's workforce twas on the east coast, and before long the workers left the factories and industries to seek their fortunes out west.

To be continued: The Italian Immigrant Experience (2)

Contact: miriammedina@earthlink.net