L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, AUGUST 8, 2024 www.italoamericano.org 14 L'Italo-Americano LA VITA ITALIANA TRADITIONS HISTORY CULTURE D e a r r e a d e r s , m o r e I t a l i a n c o n n e c t i o n s . O u r 2 2 n d state, Alaba- m a , I w a s s u r p r i s e d t o learn, had many early Ital- ians. However, unlike the I t a l i a n s t h a t s e t t l e d i n A r k a n s a s a n d T o n t i t o w n circa 1896, who emigrated from the northern Alpine regions of Italy, at least 90% o f B i r m i n g h a m ' s I t a l i a n s c a m e f r o m S i c i l y , m o s t l y from a handful of villages, including Bisaquino, Cefalù, and Campo Franco. Before 1898, most Ital- ians landed in New Orleans, where they worked on sugar and cotton plantations. The l o w w a g e s , p o o r w o r k i n g conditions, and promise of better opportunities led sev- e r a l h u n d r e d I t a l i a n s t o make another immigration t o A l a b a m a i n t h e l a t e 1890s. The greatest influx of Italians came between 1900 a n d 1 9 1 0 w h e n B i r m i n g - ham's industries suffered chronic labor shortages as demand for coal, iron, and steel increased. For the new Italian immigrant, an indus- trial job meant hard work and low pay. Yearly earnings averaged $286, or about $1 a day, compared with $665 for Scottish immigrants and $534 for native whites. *** The proprietorship of a mom-and-pop store soon became a leading occupa- tion and symbol of progress among Italian immigrants. Located in predominantly black neighborhoods, which lacked stores, the business a t t r a c t e d m a n y I t a l i a n s because it required relative- ly little money to get started. Stores could be operated by the wife and children, while the father could continue to work in the mine or mill. By the 1930s, Italians owned m o r e t h a n 3 0 0 g r o c e r y stores in Birmingham. *** T h e f i r s t f o r m a l s o c i a l organizations among Ital- ians were mutual aid soci- eties, groups that collected dues to be used in case of sickness or death of a mem- ber, providing proper reli- gious burials. They also reg- ularly sponsored dances that were high points of the Ital- ian community's social life. One such group, the Società Italiana Umberto di Savoia Principe di Piemonte, com- monly known as USPP, was a benevolent society that also promoted awareness of the Italian heritage. It was i n s t r u m e n t a l i n g e t t i n g Columbus Day declared a legal holiday in Alabama in 1911. *** The Italian immigrants brought with them a staunch Catholic faith. At the time of the Italians' arrival, Birm- i n g h a m h a d o n l y o n e Catholic church. The local Catholic bishop recognized the Italians' problems and asked the Pope to send an Italian priest to Birming- h a m . I n 1 9 0 4 , F r . J o h n Canepa of Genoa arrived. Republic Steel donated land, I t a l i a n f a m i l i e s r a i s e d money, and on March 19, 1905, the first mass was said in the new church called St. Mark's. The Italian Catholic churches celebrated many Sicilian feast days, including the Feast of Madonna del B a l z o , t h e F e a s t o f S a n Calogero, and the building of St. Joseph's Altar on March 19 each year. Weddings were big cele- brations that always includ- ed dancing and food. Other k i n d s o f e n t e r t a i n m e n t included baseball, bocce, lotto, (the Italian bingo), and storytelling. I t a l i a n s h a d t o b a n d together to combat the prej- udice of many native whites. A b e l i e f i n A n g l o - S a x o n superiority led to discrimi- n a t i o n a g a i n s t S o u t h e r n European immigrants. One proponent of this discrimi- natory attitude was Oscar W. Underwood, a United States congressman from the Birm- ingham district. In 1902, he advocated literacy tests for immigrants to keep out Ital- ians and Greeks, and the Ku Klux Klan sometimes threat- ened and harassed Italians. *** In the 1930s, the Italian community began to grow rapidly as the second gener- ation married and had chil- Advancing our Legacy: Italian Community Services CASA FUGAZI If you know of any senior of Italian descent in San Francisco needing assistance, please contact: ItalianCS.org | (415) 362-6423 | info@italiancs.com Italian Community Services continues to assist Bay Area Italian-American seniors and their families navigate and manage the resources needed to live healthy, independent and productive lives. Since Shelter-in-Place began in San Francisco, Italian Community Services has delivered over 240 meals, over 900 care packages and made over 2000 phone wellness checks for our seniors. dren. As it grew, it lost some of its distinctively Italian flavor, in part due to the fact that English had become the primary language and to a t e n d e n c y a m o n g s e c o n d - generation Italians to marry non-Italians. Alabama, once known as the "Cotton State," is now known for its Alaba- ma Space and Rocket Cen- ter. *** Italy is super rich like Sil- v i o B e r l u s c o n i m a d e n o secret of their billions. The r i c h e s t w o m e n o f I t a l y behave much more discreet- ly. Among the top ten rich- est women in Italy is Mas- s i m i l i a n a L a n d i n i Aleotti, who is the richest woman in the country and is also one of the shyest. She is virtually invisible in Italy's high society and is worth about $5.4 billion. After the d e a t h o f h e r h u s b a n d , Alberto Aleotti, in 2014, she and her children inherited his Florentine pharmaceuti- cal company, Menarini. In second place is Miuc- cia Prada, worth $4 bil- lion, who is one of the self- m a d e b i l l i o n a i r e s i n t h e ranking. At the age of 28, s h e t o o k o v e r t h e f a m i l y business of manufacturing luxury leather goods, turn- ing it into a world-renowned fashion label. Susan Carol Holland is in third place, with a fortune of $3.8 bil- lion. She is hearing aid giant Amplifon's chairwoman and owns 44.9% of the group. I t a l y ' s f o u r t h r i c h e s t woman, with a net worth of $3.1 billion, is Alessandra Garavoglia, a board mem- ber of the Campari Group, who holds 24% of the bever- age and distillery giant.

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