A Portrait of the Italians in America

Book excerpt: A photographic history of Italian-American life. The Italian imprint on North America that began centuries ago with the voyages of Christopher Columbus, Amerigo Vespucci, and Giovanni da Verrazzano continues in every aspect of American life today. This book celebrates the contributions Italians made in the areas of agriculture, cuisine, industry, religion, sports, architecture, the arts, and politics, and how they preserved their culture while establishing their presence in America. Beginning with the first major wave of immigration in the 1870s, this book portrays Italian-American hardships and successes, along with the lifestyles, organizations, and businesses they created in communities throughout the country. Four hundred photographs from public and private collections portray this colorful ethnic group in settings from the crowded streets of Naples to crowded ships bound for America, to Californian farmers and family celebrations in New York.