History of the Italian Americans in Philadelphia
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Philadelphia has a historical Italian American population.
Contents
[hide]History[edit]
During the 18th Century Colonial Era of the United States, Italian migrants to Philadelphia came from higher class backgrounds and were considered to be accomplished in business, art, and music.[1] Many early Italian settlements appeared in South Philadelphia. The Italians from this period predominately originated from towns within Genoa Province, Liguria. Donna J. Di Giacomo, author of Italians in Philadelphia, wrote that the first population was "in much smaller numbers" than the mass immigrant groups of the late 19th Century.[2]
In the end of the 19th Century Italians immigrating to Philadelphia mainly came from peasant villages in the south of Italy and were from lower socioeconomic backgrounds.[1] During that era most Italians came to the United States in order to make more money, but the vocational skills they had learned in Italy were not in high demand in the U.S.[3] Immigrants in the later period originated from Abruzzo, Avellino and Salerno inCampania, and Messina in Sicily.[2]
Geography[edit]
The largest and oldest Italian community is located in South Philadelphia. Other neighborhoods with historical Italian settlements include East Falls, Germantown, and Manayunk. As of 2007 some Italian businesses still operate in Chestnut Hill. [4]
Italians began settling Germantown in 1880.[4] The Italian community in South Philadelphia was, at a later point, reduced in size due to Italians moving to Southern New Jersey. Italians especially moved toWashington Township.[5] In 2007 Di Giacomo wrote in 2007 that "the Germantown settlement is 98 percent gone today".[4]
Economy[edit]
The Italian Market is located in South Philadelphia.[5]
Media[edit]
Historically the Italian newspapers in Philadelphia included La Libera Parola, L'Opinione, and Il Popolo Italiano. The United Presbyterian Church publication was Vita. Ordine Nuovo was the newspaper of the Sons of Italy.[2]
Religion[edit]
The Italians coming to Philadelphia were predominately Catholic.[2] Di Giacomo wrote "The church was the focal point of neighborhood life. Nearly everything, from baptisms to funerals, played out in or around the church."[4] Some Italians were Protestant. The Protestants included Baptists, Presbyterians, Evangelicals, and Pentecostals. In South Philadelphia second and third generations of Protestants left at a much quicker rate compared to Catholics of the same generation.[4]
In 1852 St. Mary Magdalen de Pazzi in South Philadelphia,[5] the first Italian Catholic parish in the United States, was founded by pre-mass immigration Italians.[2]
In 1898 Southern Italians who felt alienated from the St. Mary's Catholic Church due to their southern background and from the Irish St. Peter's Catholic Church founded the Our Lady of Good Counsel Church (Italian: La Chiesa Nostra Signora del Buon Consiglio). In 1933 the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia closed Our Lady of Good Counsel. Di Giacomo wrote that "The church's constant activity is legendary to this day."[2]
One Italian church, St. Rita of Cascia, is now a shrine. Other Italian Catholic churches include King of Peace and St. Nicholas of Tolentine.[2] The Presbyterian church had three Italian churches, with one in South Philadelphia, one in Germantown, and one in Overbrook.[4]
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