Tuesday,
July 31, 2007
"Italian Ethnic Renaissance"
Claimed by Author Dominic Pulera
The
ANNOTICO Report
Professor
Richard Alba wrote “Italian-Americans:
Into the Twilight of Ethnicity, (1984)
From
the beginning I disputed Alba's conclusions. I felt he was too simplistic
in his conclusions, and that he overlooked the effect that Government
funded Ethnic Studies Programs for Minorities, in the early 1970s would have a
"spill over" or "backlash" effect, and while the Euro
Americans would not have the benefit of K-12, plus University courses, would
not stop them from searching for their "Roots".
We in the Italian American community must try to
make our youth's quest for knowledge of their heritage easier to access!
Author:
Italian-Americans Searching for Ethnic Roots
Ironwood
Daily Globe
By Eric Hjerstedt Sharp
Sunday,July 29, 2007
HURLEY --
Italian-Americans throughout the country are rediscovering their ethnic roots
now more than ever, said author Dominic
Pulera at the
"American-born
citizens are going back and becoming citizens of
"We are in the midst
of an 'ethnic renaissance,'" he said.
Pulera is the author of "Sharing the Dream: White Males in
Multicultural
His next book entitled, "Green, White, and Read: The Italian-American
Success Story," will draw upon this and other trips he
has made visiting families of the
Though quoting demographic
figures -- 19 percent of
The recurring theme of his
stories demonstrated the fortitude against prejudice and poverty that
eventually saw the ethnicity merge into mainstream American society. He pointed
to Dec. 7, 1941, especially, as the pivotal point which completed the
acceptance of the ethnicity for other Americans.
Several people, many of
Italian descent, filled the old courtroom upstairs. After his talk, people
recounted their own experiences growing up in the area.
Tom DeCarlo
of Ironwood, whose family immigrated from
Holding up such notables
as talk show host Jay Leno and House speaker Nancy Pelosi; while pointing to
the popularity of the movie "The Godfather" and the recent television
hit "The Sopranos," Pulera said Italian-Americans
had made contributions to American society in greater proportions than their
numbers would indicate.
"They make up 6
percent of the
Pulera said Italian-Americans were
discriminated against in the early years when they immigrated to the
"Finally...There were
signs of increasing acceptance of Italian-Americans," he said.
"There is one last
obstacle: the stereotyping of ties to organized crime, which must be
overcome."
He said the rise in the
popularity of Italian foods and the opera and "all things Italian"
has surged in recent decades.
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