The Sons Of Italy In Massachusetts

The Grand Lodge of Massachusetts, Order Sons of Italy in America was chartered in 1914 and is one of the oldest lodges in the United States. The lodge recently celebrated its centennial with a long list of events that extolled the preservation and promotion of Italian heritage and culture that has endured since its inception. Founded by Italian immigrants and continued by their descendants, the organization has seen local lodges and junior lodges spring up across the commonwealth with the mission to foster fraternal, social, and charitable work. The Sons of Italy encourages all eligible persons to join and assist in promoting national education, charitable fundraising, securing adequate laws for the benefit of its members, enriching Italian culture and heritage, and combating discrimination while protecting and upholding the positive image of people of Italian birth or descent.

The Grand Lodge of Massachusetts, Order Sons of Italy in America was chartered in 1914 and is one of the oldest lodges in the United States. The lodge recently celebrated its centennial with a long list of events that extolled the preservation and promotion of Italian heritage and culture that has endured since its inception. Founded by Italian immigrants and continued by their descendants, the organization has seen local lodges and junior lodges spring up across the commonwealth with the mission to foster fraternal, social, and charitable work. The Sons of Italy encourages all eligible persons to join and assist in promoting national education, charitable fundraising, securing adequate laws for the benefit of its members, enriching Italian culture and heritage, and combating discrimination while protecting and upholding the positive image of people of Italian birth or descent.

As it ravaged the world, the influenza epidemic of 1918 devastated Boston's congested North End and left hundreds of orphans in its wake. Touched by this crisis, a Roman Catholic priest and a group of Italian Americans founded the first home for Italian children in Massachusetts. Franciscan Sisters devoted 24 hours a day to providing the children with a safe, loving, and spiritual environment. In addition, the home provided educational support for its residents. Over time, the changing needs of children mandated that the agency change the nature of its services from custodial care to treatment. In 1974, in response to the changing political and social climate, the agency became the Italian Home for Children. Today, it is a nonprofit, nonsectarian residential treatment facility with a capacity for 61 children of all races, nationalities, and religions. The images in The Italian Home for Children document milestones in the organization's history: the devastating influenza epidemic, the Missionary Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Conception, Christmas plays, a visit from Joe DiMaggio, trips to Canobie Lake Park in the summer, the Tony Martin benefit performance at Boston Garden, and the home as it is today--a refuge for children in the most severe crises.

In this lively and engaging history, Stephen Puleo tells the story of the Boston Italians from their earliest years, when a largely illiterate and impoverished people in a strange land recreated the bonds of village and region in the cramped quarters of the North End: Sicilians lived next to Sicilians, Avellinesi among Avellinesi, and so on. Focusing on this first and crucial Italian enclave in Boston, Puleo describes the experience of Boston's Italian immigrants as they battled poverty, illiteracy, and prejudice (Italians were lynched more often than members of any other ethnic group except African Americans); explains their transformation into Italian Americans during the Depression and World War II; and chronicles their rich history in Boston up to the present day. He tells much of the story from the perspective of the Italian leaders who guided and fought for their people's progress, reacquainting readers with pivotal historical figures like James V. Donnaruma, founder of the key North End newspaper "La Gazetta" (now the English-language "Post Gazette"), and politician George A. Scigliano. The book's final section is devoted to interviews with today's influential Boston Italian Americans, including Thomas M. Menino, the city's first Italian American mayor. The story of the Boston Italians is among America's most important, vibrant, and colorful sagas, and necessary reading for anyone seeking to understand the heritage of this ethnic group.

In this lively and engaging history, Stephen Puleo tells the story of the Boston Italians from their earliest years, when a largely illiterate and impoverished people in a strange land recreated the bonds of village and region in the cramped quarters of the North End. Focusing on this first and crucial Italian enclave in Boston, Puleo describes the experience of Italian immigrants as they battled poverty, illiteracy, and prejudice; explains their transformation into Italian Americans during the Depression and World War II; and chronicles their rich history in Boston up to the present day.

As it ravaged the world, the influenza epidemic of 1918 devastated Boston's congested North End and left hundreds of orphans in its wake. Touched by this crisis, a Roman Catholic priest and a group of Italian Americans founded the first home for Italian children in Massachusetts. Franciscan Sisters devoted 24 hours a day to providing the children with a safe, loving, and spiritual environment. In addition, the home provided educational support for its residents. Over time, the changing needs of children mandated that the agency change the nature of its services from custodial care to treatment. In 1974, in response to the changing political and social climate, the agency became the Italian Home for Children. Today, it is a nonprofit, nonsectarian residential treatment facility with a capacity for 61 children of all races, nationalities, and religions. The images in The Italian Home for Children document milestones in the organization's history: the devastating influenza epidemic, the Missionary Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Conception, Christmas plays, a visit from Joe DiMaggio, trips to Canobie Lake Park in the summer, the Tony Martin benefit performance at Boston Garden, and the home as it is today--a refuge for children in the most severe crises.

The first published history of the Italian-American community in this area, Italian Americans of Greater Boston: A Proud Tradition traces the migration of Italians to America through the development of Italian communities in Greater Boston. Most of the images in this collection have never been viewed by the public. Entire chapters are devoted to the themes of Italian-American family life, commerce and labor, culture and education, religion and philanthropy, and politics and government, underscoring in each instance the special contributions Boston's secondlargest ethnic group has made to the history of the metropolitan area.