*Italian Immigrants in America- Time to Know Their Hardships*

The truth is, I'm tired of hearing about everyone else's struggles in America. Do you know what my forefathers went through to settle in this country? Do you understand the terrible discrimination and beatings that many of them underwent? You have absolutely no idea! It's time to move on from everyone else's problems. It's time to hear our struggles! The only good thing Italians did was keep their mouths shut. After all, they loved and respected this country. We are no longer a minority, but trust me, we worked for it. We might as well be. Italy was not a horrible country to live in. In the 1800's and 1900's, Italians made decisions that improved their lives. They decided to leave their homeland behind for a land of prospering opportunity. Many of them would never live to see their native country again. They left behind parents, grandparents, brothers, sisters, etc. Letters would be sent back and forth with money. Italians worked hard at the bottom and sent whatever they made to their family overseas. Many things I've heard about their settlement makes my stomach queasy. One of my paternal grandmothers brothers settled in the U.S. in the mid 1900's. He exchanged letters with his family, but he never returned to Italy. My grandmother settled in this country in the late 60's, early 70's. By the time she arrived, her brother was no longer living. The last time she saw him, she was a little girl. That is the most heart wrenching information I've ever heard. Unfortunately, that is not the saddest story. Some people left Italy and decided to lose touch with their origins. They never wrote their families, which left holes in their hearts. Family members never saw each other again. When Italians arrived on their ships to Ellis Island, they also left their language behind. It was forbidden for parents to teach their children Italian. If they wanted a good life in America, that was the only acceptable language. Many people would later regret their losses. It hurt them in several ways. When my father hears people automatically speak to him in another language, he becomes severely irritated. He tells them that when he came to this country, he had to learn the language and they should to. It wasn't safe for Italians in America. Police officers would harass them and employers would ridicule them. If you were from southern Italy, that was the worst place you could be from. People made fun of the way you spoke and ridiculed you. There were many stereotypes thrown out at Italians as well. They all had to be connected to them mafia, so police officers would stop "suspicious" individuals and search them for no reason. They'd spit at them and call them terrible names like, "dago," "ginzo," "goombah," "greeseball," "guido," "guinea,"and "wop." Italians kept the harassment to themselves and let it go on. They appreciated the "free" land and "prosperities." They were afraid of being sent back to Italy. The needed to work for their families. They would lie about the way they were treated. They wanted their families to believe that America was the "best" place in the world to live. I've spoken to many different people that settled in America years ago. Many of them regret leaving behind their little towns to settle in this country, especially the women. It was expensive for them to travel back and forth, so they didn't. Italians worked in restaurants as cooks, as shoe shiners on the corners, paperboys, etc. because they didn't have an education. They worked hard to learn the language, so they could keep succeeding. After years of cruelty, they worked to exceed expectations. They are no longer ridiculed, but respected. Everyone loves history and I thought it would be nice to refresh everyone's memory. Never assume anything about any group of people! You have no idea what they went through. I am proud of my Italian routes and I am beyond lucky to know the language. I love it!