New York’s Little Italy Gets the Boot as Culture Disappears Statewide

By adminSpring 2020

By: Maeve Luparello

Italian Culture in the 1900’s

From the late 19th century to the early 20th century, Little Italy dominated Lower Manhattan. During this same time, my great grandmother immigrated to the US bringing culture and traditions to share with her future family.

Pictured above is my Great Grandmother’s certificate of emigration. She left Calabria and was accepted at Ellis Island
Photo of Mulberry St in the 1900’s
https://www.facebook.com/MulberryStreetLittleItalyManhattan/photos/a.227817100666070/227817103999403/?type=1&theater

Italian Culture in the 1950’s

Then came along my grandmother, the youngest of 6 children. My grandmother followed many Italian traditions but not with the same gusto my great grandmother did. During this same time, Little Italy was shrinking as American Suburbia grew. Across NY, the strength of Italian culture was diminishing.

Pictured above is my Grandmother and her sisters preparing dinner on Christmas Eve celebrating the Italian tradition of the Seven Fish
Women gather on a stoop in Little Italy in the 1950’s
https://www.neh.gov/humanities/2015/januaryfebruary/feature/what-sets-italian-americans-other-immigrants

Italian Culture Today

The intensity of Italian culture in my family’s lives today is nowhere near its strength in the life of my great grandmother. The Italian culture in Lower Manhattan and in my own life has diminished to a point of superficiality. Italian pride spikes in the homes of American-Italians and in the streets of Little Italy near important holidays. Most other times of the years, the culture lays dormant.

My mother and I out to dinner on Parents Weekend at an Irish Pub, Fall 2019
Pictured above is Little Italy in 2018
http://times.com/2018/02/19/nyregion/little-italy-manhattan-fire.html

Losing Italian Culture

Rising rents have forced Little Italy to shrink. Despite its shrinking size, today it continues to represent so much more — including the diminishing Italian culture across the state. In my project, I draw parallels to how the diminishing Italian culture in my life, as a New York resident, is a part of a larger trend. Statewide, we see Italian culture’s strength weaken, not only in families, but also in neighborhoods.

Sources:

“Breaking News, World News & Multimedia.” Breaking News, World News & Multimedia – The New York Times, http://times.com/2018/02/19/nyregion/little-italy-manhattan-fire.html

Cannato, Vincent J., et al. “What Sets Italian Americans Off From Other Immigrants?” National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), https://www.neh.gov/humanities/2015/januaryfebruary/feature/what-sets-italian-americans-other-immigrants

“Mulberry Street 1900s – Little Italy, Manhattan.” Mulberry Street 1900s – Little Italy,… – Mulberry Street 1900s – Little Italy, Manhattan, https://www.facebook.com/MulberryStreetLittleItalyManhattan/photos/a.227817100666070/227817103999403/?type=1&theater

“When Little Italy Was Big: THIRTEEN – New York Public Media.” THIRTEEN, https://www.thirteen.org/program-content/when-little-italy-was-big/