SICILIANS ON THE GULF COAST COME TO AMERICA


Italians have been immigrating to the United States for centuries, but the wave of “New Immigration” began in the 1880s. This was a period of rapid industrial growth, and the United States was eager for immigrants to arrive and work in various industries. While the Northern cities attracted the majority of immigrants coming to America in search of work, the Louisiana Immigration Association was founded in 1881 to encourage immigrants to settle in the South and work in agriculture. This organization focused on recruiting Italians, specifically sending representatives to Sicily to spread information. With the promise of free passage across the Atlantic and a well-paying job on the other side, many Sicilians flocked to America.


BIRDS OF PASSAGE A group of Italians on Decatur


Street in New Orleans, 1938 Photo by Lee Russell/Library of Congress


During the period of New Immigration, approximately 50% of Italian immigrants were so-called “Birds of Passage,” returning to Italy after working in America for a few years. These people rarely learned English or attempted to assimilate with American culture because they did not intend to settle permanently. However, there were still many Italians who decided to stay in America—often insulating themselves within Sicilian communities, distinguished by kinship and village lines.


WHERE THEY SETTLED


BOSTON, MA PROVIDENCE, RI


NEW YORK CITY, NY


391,000 foreign-born Italians in 1920


NEWARK, NJ PHILADELPHIA, PA


136,793 foreign-born Italians in 1920


CHICAGO, IL


73,960 foreign-born Italians in 1930


NEW ORLEANS, LA


8,066 foreign-born Italians in 1910


SAN FRANCISCO, CA


16,918 Italian immigrants in 1910


10 ROUNDABOUT THEATRE COMPANY


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