Italian Heritage Month

Italian Heritage Month is celebrated in October

Let’s briefly retrace the history of this cultural integration, passing through the various stages of social contamination … until we remember that we are one large Italian-American family.

Here below is an illustrative summary!

Between 1800 and 1900 most Italians arrived in American. They mainly live in small communities and were poor and unskilled.

During the Second World War, many Italian soldiers fought alongside the American Army. This has contributed to a reconciliation. Italians were much more accepted as were many aspects of their culture. Food was certainly one of the main vehicles of this transition.

So garlic stopped being an unpleasant element and started to be a plus in American cuisine too!

And someone also wrote “How Italian Cuisine Became as American as Apple Pie”! (here)

The music industry was also heavily contaminated: many of the singers who defined American music were Italian Americans: Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Vic Damone. Furthermore, Italian Americans have also made a mark on film.

With the release of the film “The Godfather”, the Italian stereotypes of that era were overcome, and Italians began to be seen as respected and successful people. This is the “Godfather effect”!

And now?

Now everyone in America knows that a “barista” is someone who works in a bar!

Now everyone in America knows that Pizza have originated in Naples!

Now everyone in America knows what it means to communicate with gestures!

Now the bilateral cultural is evolving more and more, for both countries.

Now everyone in America, in Italy and beyond, knows that every immigration process is parte of our individual and social growth!

So let’s celebrate together… what are you waiting for?

Here 3 simple step to celebrate this month: