The Italians Are Coming!

Yes, the Italians are coming and not necessarily in brightly colored Fiats as depicted in recent television ads.

As charming as that image may seem, the Italians referred to here are coming to the Bay Area via our local PBS/KQED television stations.  Broadcasts of several multi-part documentaries will begin on February 17th.  You will find details as you read on.

In addition to these televised documentaries, the story of Italian immigrants in California is also available at the Bancroft Library’s online exhibition titled “Italian Americans in 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 ancestors with the virtual experience available via the Bancroft website at http://bancroft.berkeley. edu/collections/italianamericans.  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 navigation tools to move you back and forth from one room to 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 transported through the five exhibit rooms as follows:

Room One: The Early Immigrants – Notice the directory at your left lists three additional exhibits including the gold rush.

Room Two:  The Big Immigration – The list presents three exhibits including organized crime.

Room Three: Work & Economics – Highlights law, politics, business, agriculture and fishing.

Room Four: The Approach of World War II – discusses 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 explorers and settlers in California?  As early as 1687, Padre Eusebio Chino traveled in Northern Mexico and Lower California, the first person to prove Lower California is a peninsula, not an island.

When you visit the Bancroft site, be certain to check out “About the Project” and “Sources” for additional information about the research and creation of “Italian Americans in California.”  The project’s goal was to portray the place of Italian Americans in the history and culture of California.

Once you have browsed through the online exhibit you are ready for the upcoming KQED broadcasts, “The Italian Americans” and “Italian 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 Chase, John Turturro, Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi, and Gay Talese, among others, and Stanley Tucci narrates.

At one time, Italian Americans were viewed as outsiders.  After decades of battling prejudice, suspicion and mistrust, Italian Americans are some of the most prominent leaders of U.S. business, politics and the arts.

This series begins with “La Famiglia/Becoming Americans” and ends with “Loyal Americans/The American Dream.”

La Famiglia (1890-1910) – A brief history of the Italian Risorgimento provides the context for the great flight from the mezzogiorno region. By the late 19th century, Italians begin to put down roots and “Little 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.

Loyal Americans (1930-1945) – 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 middle class. Italian-American crooners define American cool, but even as Frank Sinatra skyrockets 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 17th and continue through March 15th.  Complete, detailed broadcast information is available at http://www.kqed.org/tv/programs/index.jsp?pgmid=22752

In addition, KQED will also present the three-part documentary “Italian Americans in California-Finding the Mother Lode” with broadcasts on February 17, 18, 24, and 25.  The detailed broadcast schedule is available at http://www.kqed.org /tv/programs/index.jsp?pgmid=22802.

“Finding the Mother Lode” is a film by Gianfranco Norelli and Suma Kurien.  It is the story of the Italian immigrants that 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 documentaries chronicling the history of Italian immigrants in California from the Gold Rush to the present.

The second in the series is “The Making of Italian San Francisco.”  Italians arrived early in San Francisco’s colorful history and had a significant impact on the budding economic development of California. 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 Square, the San Francisco Opera, and the Bank of Italy, later to become Bank of America.

The third documentary is titled “Little Italys and Beyond.” Italian immigrants played a major role in developing California’s fishing industry. This film documents life in the Italian communities of Monterey, San Diego and Los Angeles.

As you see, the months of February and March will be filled with special PBS/KQED programming featuring the Italians of California.  As Italians, we arrived, we thrived, and we are here to stay.