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Rome, Lazio, Italy | | Date: NYPL image ca. 1919-1929 | Notes: According to Wikipedia over 50 million Italians immigrated to other parts of the world between the beginning of the 19th century to the end of the 20th century. Countries with significant people of Italian origin include:
o Brazil: 25 million Italians
o Argentina: 18 million Italians
o United States: 16.6 million Italians
o France: 1.5 million Italians
o Venezuela: 1-2 million Italians
o Uruguay: 1.5 million Italians
o Canada: 1.3 million Italians
o Australia: 1 million Italians
o Switzerland: 750,000 Italians
o Germany: 611,000 Italians
o Belgium: 280,000 Italians
o United Kingdom: 133,000 Italians
o Chile: 150,000 Italians
o Costa Rica: 122,500 Italians
o Paraguay: 100,000 Italians
o Spain: 95,337 Italians
o South Africa: 35,000 Italians
o Cuba: 33,245 Italians
o San Marino: 28,000 Italians
o Luxembourg: 20,000 Italians
o Croatia: 19,636 Italians
o Peru: 13,500 Italians
o Monaco: 10,000 Italians
o Ireland: 5,811 Italians
For more information visit:www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italian_people. | Contributed by: Image courtesy of the New York Public Library, Digital Gallery, Digital ID: 1573605
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Rome, Lazio, Italy | | Date: PYPL image ca. 1910s? | | Notes: According to historian and author, Dr. Marlow Schrover, governments in Europe actively supported migration of their citizens to far away lands in the late 19th century and early 20th century, worried a "surplus population of poor people would lead to social unrest." In the late 18th century only 7 per cent of Europe's population lived in the cities. Around this time population in the rural areas grew due to a decreased death rate and increased fertility, making life economically more difficult. In the 19th century the population in Europe continued to grow. Serfdom was abolished in 1861, having both positive and negative ramifications. Landowners suddenly did not have to keep workers for the entire year, but only hired "day laborers" during the harvest season, leading to further misery. Meanwhile, industry in the urban areas flourished. While in 1800 only 23 cities in Europe had a population of 100,000, in 1900 there were 123 cities that did. The "Industrial Revolution," besides mechanizing factories, also effected transportation. Suddenly, large ships and fast-moving trains made it possible to move large groups of people. This set the stage for the mass migration of peoples out of Europe and into the Americas. For an in depth look into Europe's migration patterns look up Dr. Marlou Schrover's succinct research findings at: www.let.leidenuniv.nl/history/migration/chapter3.html. | Contributed by: Image courtesy of the New York Public Library, Digital Gallery Digital ID: 444897
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Southern Italy | | Date: Current | | Notes: Statistics indicate that of the five million Italians who went to the Americas between 1880 and 1920, four million came from the South. Also, between 1946 and 1957 more than two million Southern Italians emigrated to the Americas and Northern Europe. Between 1951 and 1971 another 9 million Southern Italians moved to other areas of Italy (mostly to the North). According to the historian and author, Dr. Marlou Schrover, "After the unification of Italy in 1870 the North became richer and the South poorer. Small farmers in Southern Italy could not compete with large landowners in the North.... The Southern part of Italy was very poor, there was population growth and industrial and agricultural changes did not help the South. This stimulated Italians to leave their country." For more information visit: www.let.ledenuniv.nl/history/migration/chapter3.html. | Contributed by: Mary Melfi
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Molise, Italy | | Date: n.d. | | Notes: Molise has had the highest rate of immigration per capita. Of all the towns in Italy, Casacalenda in the province of Campobasso and in the region Molise, ranks as the No. 1 place where most people (per capita) left for other areas. While the majority of individuals went to the Americas, some moved to other parts of Italy or Europe. Some historians admit to being perplexed by the mass exodus of peoples that took place in the 20th century as Molise was not one of the poorer regions in Italy at the time. A number of experts on the subject have suggested that the reason so many people left the area was because the local culture supported the idea of moving to "greener pastures" -- literally! Molise's fertile mountain ranges were ideal for the raising of sheep. Many subsistent farmers had their own flocks. These farmers often traveled from one area to another in search of food for their animals. So the idea of moving or traveling to different areas of the country in order to survive (and/or improve their standard of living) was seen as part of the norm. Also, many subsistent farmers in Molise owned their own land (unlike in other areas of the South where individuals either worked for large landowners or rented land from them), making them more mobile. Often, farmers from Molise used part of their land as collateral to (literally) buy their tickets to l'America.... | Contributed by: Courtesy of the New York Public Library, Digital Gallery
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Casacalenda, Molise, Italy | | Date: 1915 | | Notes: The baby in the picture is Rachele Polisena; sitting on the chair is her mother. The picture was taken to send to Rachele's father who was then in North America, working, and hoping to come home soon. | Contributed by: Rachele Polisena
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Ribera, Arigento, Italy | | Date: 1930 | Notes: Born in 1912 Paola Gulla was the first of 11 children. After finishing elementary school she helped with the care of her numerous brothers and sisters; she also helped out in the family business. At the age of 17 she married Alfonso Calandrino and had three children. First her husband came to Canada, and after awhile she and her children followed him here. In Canada she and her husband tried to transmit to their children "i valori italiani."
The photo and short biography of Paola Gulla were first published in Centro Dante's "Album di Famiglia, 1996." Permission to use the material was given by Santa Cabrini Hospital's administration. For further information visit: www.santacabrini.qc.ca. | Contributed by: Courtesy of the Santa Cabrini Hospital
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L'Aquila, Abbruzzi, Italy | | Date: 1935 | Notes: Vincenzo Di Lorento followed in his father's footsteps and worked as a bricklayer until the government in power recruited him into the war effort. He was sent to Addis-Abeba in Ethiopia; while there he became infected with a stomach virus and became very ill. He was offered a post as a "guardia campestre" (country guard). In 1949 he decided to immigrate to Canada as his brother had already settled here and promised him "un avvenire migliore" (a brighter future). A year later, his wife and two children, whom had stayed in Italy, joined him in the new land -- "finalmente la famiglia era unita."
The photo and short biography of Vincenzo Di Lorento were first published in Centro Dante's "Album di Famiglia, 1996." Permission to use the material was given by Santa Cabrini Hospital's administration. For further information visit: www.santacabrini.qc.ca. | Contributed by: Courtesy of Santa Gabrini Hospital
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Casalciprano, Molise, Italy | | Date: 1923 | Notes: Elivira Giovanna Battista was born in Casalciprano, Molise in 1904. In 1973 she and her husband came to Montreal to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary. After that the couple went to visit a daughter who was living in South Africa and there too the couple celebrated their golden anniversary. Giovanna Battista and her husband returned to their little town in Molise. Alas, when Elivira Giovanna Battista turned 70 her husband died, it was then she decided to come to Montreal, Quebec to be with her adult children.
The photo and short biography of Elivira Giovanna Battista were first published in Centro Dante's "Album di Famiglia, 1996." Permission to use the material was given by Santa Cabrini Hospital's administration. | Contributed by: Courtesy of The Santa Cabrini Hospital
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di Silvi, Abruzzi, Italy | | Date: 1930 | Notes: Lucia Cichella first came to Canada in 1928 to be reunited with her husband who had come to this country with the hope of having a better life. After the birth of their first child the couple returned to Italy. However, after World War II, the couple decided to return to Canada with their three children. Here in Montreal the couple finally had the stability they so desired.
The photo and short biography of Lucia Cichella were first published in Centro Dante's "Album di Famiglia, 1996." Permission to use the material was granted by Santa Cabrini Hospital's administration. For further information visit: www.santacabrini.qc.ca. | Contributed by: Courtesy of the Santa Cabrini Hospital
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Genoa, Liguria, Italy | | Date: 1900 | | Notes: "La partenza dell'emigrante dal paese (primo '900, Arch. Fot. Museo contadino di Rovegno). Published in: "Museo di Storia e cultura contadina Genovese e ligure, 2 Catalogo," by Consorzio Agricolo Intercommunale Zona 1 Genova, 1988. | Contributed by: Courtesy of Servizio Beni Culturali del Comune di Genova
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