L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2015 www.italoamericano.com L'Italo-Americano 5 The Italians Are Coming! Yes, the Italians are coming and not necessarily in brightly c o l o r e d F i a t s a s d e p i c t e d i n recent television ads. As charm- ing as that image may seem, the Italians referred to here are com- ing to the Bay Area via our local P B S / K Q E D t e l e v i s i o n s t a - tions. Broadcasts of several multi-part documentaries will begin on February 17 th . You will find details as you read on. In addition to these televised d o c u m e n t a r i e s , t h e s t o r y o f Italian immigrants in California is also available at the Bancroft Library's online exhibition titled " I t a l i a n A m e r i c a n s i n California", making for a unique opportunity to travel back in time using your computer. The first Italians arrived in California several centuries ago, as far back as the mid-1600s, to be exact. You can explore first- hand the journey of our ances- tors with the virtual experience available via the Bancroft web- site at http://bancroft.berkeley. edu/collections/italianameri- cans. This online experience begins with: "The exhibit is designed as a virtual exhibition, much like the experience you would have in a museum walking from room to room. There are plenty of navi- gation tools to move you back a n d f o r t h f r o m o n e r o o m t o another. Each room reflects a different time period or theme in the history of Italian immigrants and their offspring in California. We've enhanced the exhibit with links to photographs." You are given five on-screen rooms to visit and by clicking the room tabs at the top of your computer screen, you are trans- ported through the five exhibit rooms as follows: R o o m O n e : T h e E a r l y Immigrants – Notice the directo- ry at your left lists three addi- tional exhibits including the gold rush. R o o m T w o : T h e B i g Immigration – The list presents three exhibits including orga- nized crime. R o o m T h r e e : W o r k & Economics - Highlights law, pol- itics, business, agriculture and fishing. Room Four: The Approach of W o r l d W a r I I - d i s c u s s e s Fascism and internment. Room Five: Little Italy, San Francisco - Offers exhibit rooms exploring North Beach, Italian theater and much more. What you will learn from this online exhibit might surprise you. Did you know that Italians were some of the first European e x p l o r e r s a n d s e t t l e r s i n California? As early as 1687, Padre Eusebio Chino traveled in Northern Mexico and Lower California, the first person to p r o v e L o w e r C a l i f o r n i a i s a peninsula, not an island. When you visit the Bancroft s i t e , b e c e r t a i n t o c h e c k o u t " A b o u t t h e P r o j e c t " a n d "Sources" for additional infor- mation about the research and creation of "Italian Americans in California." The project's goal w a s t o p o r t r a y t h e p l a c e o f Italian Americans in the history and culture of California. O n c e y o u h a v e b r o w s e d through the online exhibit you a r e r e a d y f o r t h e u p c o m i n g KQED broadcasts, "The Italian A m e r i c a n s " a n d " I t a l i a n Americans in California-Finding the Mother Lode". While viewing "The Italian Americans" you will be able to trace the evolution of Italian Americans from the late 19th century to today. Commentators include Tony Bennett, David C h a s e , J o h n T u r t u r r o , Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi, and Gay Talese, among others, and Stanley Tucci narrates. At one time, Italian Americans were v i e w e d a s o u t s i d e r s . A f t e r decades of battling prejudice, suspicion and mistrust, Italian Americans are some of the most prominent leaders of U.S. busi- ness, politics and the arts. This series begins with "La F a m i g l i a / B e c o m i n g A m e r i c a n s " a n d e n d s w i t h " L o y a l A m e r i c a n s / T h e American Dream." La Famiglia (1890-1910) - A b r i e f h i s t o r y o f t h e I t a l i a n Risorgimento provides the con- text for the great flight from the mezzogiorno region. By the late 19th century, Italians begin to p u t d o w n r o o t s a n d " L i t t l e Italys" spring up in urban areas throughout the U.S. Becoming Americans (1910- 1930) - At the turn of the 20th century, more than four million Italians immigrate to America. L o y a l A m e r i c a n s ( 1 9 3 0 - 1945) - A second generation of Italian Americans begins to enter the labor movement, politics, sports and entertainment. The American Dream (1945- present) - In post-war America, Italian Americans enter the mid- d l e c l a s s . I t a l i a n - A m e r i c a n crooners define American cool, but even as Frank Sinatra sky- rockets to fame, he is haunted by accusations of Mafia ties. Can Italian Americans fit into 1950s America or will the specter of organized crime always plague them? Broadcasts of "The Italian Americans" begin February 17 th and continue through March 15 th . Complete, detailed broad- cast information is available at h t t p : / / w w w . k q e d . o r g / t v / p r o - grams/index.jsp?pgmid=22752 In addition, KQED will also present the three-part documen- t a r y " I t a l i a n A m e r i c a n s i n California-Finding the Mother L o d e " w i t h b r o a d c a s t s o n F e b r u a r y 1 7 , 1 8 , 2 4 , a n d 2 5 . T h e d e t a i l e d b r o a d c a s t s c h e d u l e i s a v a i l a b l e a t http://www.kqed.org /tv/pro- grams/index.jsp?pgmid=22802. "Finding the Mother Lode" is a film by Gianfranco Norelli and Suma Kurien. It is the story of t h e I t a l i a n i m m i g r a n t s t h a t arrived in Northern California beginning with the Gold Rush of the early 1850s. While most did not find gold, they did find a mother lode in agriculture and wine making. The film is the first of three 30-minute docu- mentaries chronicling the history o f I t a l i a n i m m i g r a n t s i n California from the Gold Rush to the present. The second in the series is " T h e M a k i n g o f I t a l i a n S a n F r a n c i s c o . " I t a l i a n s a r r i v e d early in San Francisco's colorful history and had a significant impact on the budding economic d e v e l o p m e n t o f C a l i f o r n i a . Masterful entrepreneurs, these early immigrants created much of what we now consider to be the heart and soul of The City; Fisherman's Wharf, Ghirardelli S q u a r e , t h e S a n F r a n c i s c o Opera, and the Bank of Italy, l a t e r t o b e c o m e B a n k o f America. T h e t h i r d d o c u m e n t a r y i s titled "Little Italys and Beyond." I t a l i a n i m m i g r a n t s p l a y e d a m a j o r r o l e i n d e v e l o p i n g California's fishing industry. This film documents life in the I t a l i a n c o m m u n i t i e s o f Monterey, San Diego and Los Angeles. As you see, the months of February and March will be filled with special PBS/KQED p r o g r a m m i n g f e a t u r i n g t h e I t a l i a n s o f C a l i f o r n i a . A s Italians, we arrived, we thrived, and we are here to stay. Siamo arrivati, abbiamo prosperato, e siamo qui per stare. CATHERINE ACCARDI Italian fisherman at Fisherman's Wharf. Photo credit: www.findingthemotherlode.com Gianfranco Norelli and Suma Kurien. Photo credit :www.findingthemotherlode.com Finding the Mother Lode (film poster)

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