Italians in New York City: Difference between revisions

New York City has the largest population of [[Italian Americans]] in the [[United States|United States of America]] as well as [[North America]], many of whom inhabit ethnic enclaves in [[Brooklyn]], [[the Bronx]], [[Manhattan]], [[Queens]], and [[Staten Island]]. New York is home to the third largest Italian population outside of [[Italy]], behind [[Buenos Aires]], [[Argentina]] (first) and [[São Paulo]], [[Brazil]] (second). Over 2.6 million<ref>{{Cite web|title=The Demographic Statistical Atlas of the United States - Statistical Atlas|url=https://statisticalatlas.com/metro-area/New-York/New-York/Ancestry|access-date=2021-01-05|website=statisticalatlas.com}}</ref> Italians and Italian-Americans live in the greater New York metro area, with about 800,000 living within one of the five New York City boroughs. This makes Italian Americans the largest ethnic group in the New York metro area.

The Southern Italians who arrived in large numbers from 1880 to 1914 were poor peasants with few skills. According to Samuel Baily, three in four worked in manual labor jobs, such as construction, transportation, factory work, or domestic service, during both the years 1880 and 1905. These jobs were mostly unskilled or semi-skilled. The remaining 25% consisted mainly of low-income white-collar workers like peddlers and barbers, along with shopkeepers running neighborhood grocery stores. Only 2%, held professional status, primarily musicians and music teachers.<ref>Samuel L. Baily, "The Adjustment of Italian Immigrants in Buenos Aires and New York, 1870-1914" ''American Historical Review'' 88#2 (1983), at p. 285.</ref>

In terms of job searching, newly arrived Italians typically signed up with a [[Padrone system|"padrone".]] For a fee Thisthis Italian businessman found jobs and negotiated wages.<ref> Humbert S. Nelli, "The Italian padrone system in the United States." ''Labor History'' 5.2 (1964): 153–167. https://doi.org/10.1080/00236566408583942</ref> The Italians earned well below average rates. Their weekly earnings in manufacturing and mining (for the entire national economy) in 1909 came to $9.61, compared to $13.63 for German immigrants and $11.06 for Poles. A goal of returning to Italy in two years with $200 thus meant saving $2 a week.<ref>Robert Higgs, "Race, Skills, and Earnings: American Immigrants in 1909" ''Journal of Economic History'' 31#2 (1971), pp. 420-428, table on p. 426 [http://www.jstor.org/stable/2117052 online] </ref>

The Italian American Museum is located in Manhattan's [[Little Italy, Manhattan|Little Italy]]. Located in a former bank, [[Banca Stabile]], its current building had a "soft opening" in September 2008,<ref>Mallozzi, Vincent M.『[https://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/09/nyregion/09italian.html?scp=3&sq=italian%20american%20museum&st=cse&_r=0 In Little Italy, a Former Bank Will Now Hold Italian Immigrants’ Memories]』([https://web.archive.org/web/20180528052258/https://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/09/nyregion/09italian.html?scp=3&sq=italian%20american%20museum&st=cse&_r=0 Archive]). ''[[The New York Times]]''. September 8, 2008. Print: September 9, 2008, page B3, New York edition. Retrieved on May 3, 2015.</ref> and a formal opening in October.<ref name="Haberman">Haberman, Clyde. "[https://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/14/nyregion/14nyc.html?_r=0 A March Uptown and a Shrine Downtown for Italian Heritage]" ([https://archive.today/20240527080328/https://www.webcitation.org/6YESVYcQp?url=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/14/nyregion/14nyc.html?_r%3F_r=1& Archive]). ''[[The New York Times]]''. October 14, 2008. Print: October 14, 2008, p. A25, New York edition. Retrieved on May 3, 2015.</ref>

* [[Luigi Fugazy]] (1829–19301839–1930) a prominent Italian padrone and businessman.

* Kessner, Thomas, and [[Betty Boyd Caroli]]. "New immigrant women at work: Italians and Jews in New York City, 1880-1905." ''Journal of Ethnic Studies'' 5.4 (1978): 19.