This record of Italian immigration is a key component in understanding my family background and facilitating a focal point in the century fueling Italian immigration. My grandmother’s perspective is a firsthand account that reveals the methods in which Italian immigrants assimilated and even influenced American culture. Their initial reaction along with the hardships of being new in a strange new world is a fascinating piece of American History. This presentation serves as a small piece of historical content revealing how foreigners relied on this country as a catalyst in building a life one could only dream of. Genetically, my background consists of an array of European influences. However, my family majorly identifies and honors our bloodline of Sicilian descent. My mother comes from a very strong German, Italian upbringing while my father is primarily and predominantly most associated with Italian; specifically speaking, Sicilian. The idea of having to record this information proved to be extremely important in historical value and delivered a sense of pride in my understanding of family foundation.
The influx of Italian heritage and culture defined American lifestyle from the mid1800’s all the way until the late 1900’s. It is one of the most abundantly and culturally enriching populations to hit American soil, primarily the East coast. My earliest American relatives date back to 1905 in the midst of Italian Influx to American Eastern coastal suburbs and city areas. One of these individuals was my grandmother, Carmella. My grandmother was able to paint an intriguing picture of the central idea of Italian Immigration in the early 1900’s. Largely, the Sicilians resided in communities and clusters in parts of New York City as well as areas such as Paterson, NJ, where my grandmother assimilated into American society. Paterson, like many other booming suburban areas was a safe haven for racial assimilation into American society. My grandmother informed me that cities, both large and small were easier to build a life and to become more cultural accepted because of the all-ready standing diversity cities naturally accumulated. Although, conditions were not favorable and living quarters were very much intolerable for the average non-immigrant; foreigners were able to make due and soak in American lifestyle and culture. The language was easy to pick up on, since my grandmother had been exposed to it before. The hardest part was the idea of being ingrained with a variety of nationalities and people of different origins. My grandmother had family here in the states, her uncles and boy cousins. Her incentive to find work was fueled immediately and she soon started her career in a nearby factory that was inhabited by solely immigrants of Italian and Irish descent.
My grandmother came to this country with intentions of becoming married. Her family had set forth an arranged marriage in which both families were from the same village in Eastern Sicily. Coming to this country, her fate took an unpredicted turn and evidently marriage at such a young age was not in her future. Years later my grandmother met a man, dark in features and short in stature. Any onlooker would believe he was of Italian heritage. Unbeknown to the everyday passerby, this man was of Irish/Dutch descent and would soon be the selected suitor to my grandmother, Carmela. Being born in this country, my grandfather was already an American citizen and did not endure the burdens of immigration much like my grandmother.
They married in the early years of the 1930’s, built their life in suburban, Paterson, NJ and became parents to my father and aunt. My grandparents intended to take on the most normal and American way of life in raising their two children. Life here in American proved true to it’s opportunistic nature of assimilation of cultural variety. Predominant parts of Europe were struggling economically and American life seemed to be the only way to ensuring survival for generations to come. Life in Sicily for my grandmother would have been very limited and unstable.