Between 1880 and 1920, more than 5 million Italian immigrants arrived in the United States - many through Ellis Island. Predominantly from southern Italy, they left their poverty-stricken villages to seek new opportunities and build new lives in America. With more than 1,000,000 settling in New York, the city would become intimately associated with the Italian immigrant experience. The social, political, cultural, and economic contributions of Italian Americans to New York City and America, are significant.

This exhibit delved into the history of Italian immigration to New York by documenting the adaptation of Italian immigrants to America, the communities they forged, and the institutions they built.

Curator: Dr. Philip V. Cannistraro Coordinator: Dr. Peter Vellon
July 2002