CONTENTS Letter from Nancy Pelosi 2 Foreword by Mark D. Schiavenza 3 The Italians Who Shaped California by Alessandro Baccari 4 Introduction 6 THE FIRST WAVE: Working Life IN CERCA DI Agriculture & Food Processing 7 UNA NUOVA VITA Winemakers 7 ITALY TO CALIFORNIA Inventors & Entrepreneurs 8 Making A Living 8 ITALIAN IMMIGRATION: 1850 TO TODAY Story of a Sicilian Fisherman 10 Organized Labor 10 OCT. 16, 2009 – JAN. 17, 2010 Women Workers 10 Story of a Pioneer Woman 12 MUSEO ItaloAmericano Gold Country: The Miners 12 Fort Mason Center, Building C, San Francisco, CA 94123 Teresa’s Place 12 Gold Country: The Boardinghouses 13 THE FIRST WAVE: City Life The Italian District: North Beach 14 Italian Opera 14 Italian Language Press 16 Scavenging 16 Business & Banking 17 The Earthquake 17 THE FIRST WAVE: Social Life Family & Community 19 Church & School 19 THE SECOND WAVE: A Different Kind of Immigrant The Middle Class Immigration 20 Starting Over 20 Escaping Racial Laws 21 Displaced Persons 21 PHOTOS: FRONT COVER Photo: FIRST WAVE – Italian Immigrants THE THIRD Wave on Ferry from Ellis Island, 1905. Photo by Lewis W. Hine. Courtesy The Third Wave by Paolo Pontoniere 22 of George Eastman House Third Wave Immigrants: 22 THIS PAGE: SECOND WAVE – Papa Gianni Giotta (on the left) and Marco Vinella at opening day of Caffe Trieste, 1956. Courtesy A Global Tribe of Artists, Scientists, of the Giotta family Entrepreneurs, & Explorers INSIDE COVER Photo: THIRD WAVE – TWA’s First Flight from From Social Unrest to Technological 25 Fiumicino International Airport to JFK with a Boeing 747. Photo by: ANSA/ARCHIVIO VERGATI MAZZOCCO/i50 Revolution by Paolo Pontoniere CONGRATULATIONS It is my pleasure to congratulate the Museo ItaloAmericano on its 30th anniversary and to welcome everyone to this special exhibit highlighting the successes of Italian Americans. America is a land discovered by an Italian, named for an Italian, and built by millions of Italian Americans. Though I made history as the first woman Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, I am just as proud to be the first Italian American Speaker of the House. Our nation is uniquely strong because of the vital role daughters and sons of Italy have played in the United States from its discovery until today. We are proud to have this wonderful museum in Fort Mason Center for San Francisco’s residents and visitors to enjoy learning more about the history and culture of California’s Italian American community. Nancy Pelosi Speaker of the House UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES PHOTOS: OPPOSITE PAGE: TIVOLI OPERA HOUSE CHORUS LINE, 1890s, Roy D. Graves Pictorial Collection. Courtesy of The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley THIS PAGE: Angelo and Rosa Cappelli, Joe DI Pucci, VaudeVille act, Pantages Circuit, Oakland, 1916. Courtesy of Paola Sensi-Isolani 2 | ItalY to California FOREWORD The Museo ItaloAmericano continues the celebration of its first thirty years of existence by presenting In Cerca di una Nuova Vita, a documentary exhibit on Italian The contributions of Italian immigrants to immigration to California from 1850 to the present day. this country and particularly to the State of There have been many individuals and organizations California cannot be overestimated. In large that have contributed to this exhibit — too many to enumerate all here. We do wish to acknowledge the part, Italian-Americans defined California with following special contributors: Alessandro Baccari, who their hard work, intelligence, creativity and spirit has contributed much material from his private collection; of enterprise. Italian immigrants arrived early Professor Paola Sensi-Isolani of St. Mary’s College, whose to the Golden State and established wineries, First Wave narrative provides the historical context for the exhibit; and Paolo Pontoniere, who has curated a farms, canneries, fishing enterprises, factories contemporary mode of presenting the accomplishments and banks. They enhanced the state’s culture of the most recent immigrants. by founding universities and creating the This exhibit would not be possible without the financial San Francisco Opera Company. This positive support of our primary sponsor, the E.L. Wiegand influence continues as the most recent Italian Foundation. We are also deeply grateful to E & J Gallo immigrants make significant contributions to Winery, the Viterbi Family Foundation, the Fleishhacker Foundation, AnsaldoBreda and our other financial California’s new frontiers, particularly in the contributors. We would also like to express our fields of technology and research. appreciation to Consul General Dott. Fabrizio Marcelli for his generous support not only of this project but of all of our diverse activities at the Museo. Last, but not least, our thanks go to Mary Serventi Steiner, Susan Filippo, and to all of our other wonderfully dedicated staff, under the direction of Managing Director Paola Bagnatori, who continue to make great things happen at the Museo as it embarks on its next thirty years. Mark D. Schiavenza President, Board of Directors Museo ItaloAmericano IMMIGration: 1850 to TodaY | 3 Midst the robust diversity of California races and THE ITALIANS WHO nationalities, there has been no more comfortable and integrated immigrant group than the Italians. From their SHAPED CALIFORNIA first coming in the 1860s to what real estate promoters later called “the American Italy”, to the 1920s when Italians Alessandro Baccari comprised the largest foreign stock in the state with 11.7% of the foreign born population, to the present when their numbers fail to reflect their dynamic and nurturing influence, Italian Californians have succeeded in all aspects of the economic and cultural life of this state. That success is a testament to Italian perseverance, vitality, and creativity From the explorer to the immigrant in our countryside and cities. this nation has been influenced by A fascinating period of Italian immigration to California Italian dreams and culture. Some was between 1850 to 1900. The objective of this article will be to highlight the achievements of those Italian pioneers of the most significant chapters in who greatly contributed to the building of the state. our nation’s growth to greatness During the Gold Rush two Jesuit priests came to establish have been made by Italians. the first college for the education of young Americans in the west. They were Father Giovanni Nobili and Father Michele Accolti. In 1851, with no other teachers but Since the Gold Rush years, California has been a state themselves and a capital of $150, they founded Santa of immigrants. This remarkable unending immigration Clara College, now Santa Clara University. Of the first five from 1849 to the present has been the dominant force professors, all were Italians who had taught previously at in shaping the economy, politics, agriculture, and social other American Jesuit institutions. These included Fathers structure of California. Maraschi, Masseo, Masnato, Careddo, and Congiato. They were followed by Father Cicchi, who acquired a reputation as a leading mineralogist in the West, and Father Neri, who is remembered for his studies in the field of electricity an for his installation of the first electric searchlight in the Port of San Francisco, and for having used carbon electric light in street illumination. He was without doubt the leading physicist of his time in the West. Three years later, Father Congiato, who had been on the staff at Santa Clara, was assigned to purchase a lot in San Francisco, for the erection of a school and church. The result was Saint Ignatius College, now the University of San Francisco. Its founder and first president was Father Antonio Maraschi. By 1859, the Italian colony in San Francisco and Northern California was large enough to support its own Italian language newspaper. This was La Voce del Popolo, which later merged with L’Italia, and had a record of continuous publication as long as, if not longer, than that of any daily, in any language, in the State. The mark of Italian culture had already placed its imprint in the San Francisco Bay Area. The first Italian theater opened in September 12, 1850, at the corner of Jackson and Kearny Streets, in San Francisco. That month, the Pellegrini Opera Company came to perform La Sonnambula, the first complete opera ever heard in the State. The following year brought Elisa Biscaccianti from New York to sing with the opera company. She was known as the American Thrush. By 1854 San Francisco had its first Italian dancing master, PORTRAIT OF MARCO FONTANA. Courtesy of Alessandro Baccari Signor Galavotti, operating a successful school. Dancers 4 | ItalY to California of Italy would capture the hearts of San Franciscans, travel agency he expanded into banking and opened two and many of the great performers stayed, as did Marietta banking ventures that endured for many years after his Bonfanti, who had performed with the La Scala Ballet death. These were the Columbus Savings and Loan, Company. In 1860, the celebrated Bianchi Opera came and Banca Popolare Fugazi. The travel agency is still and presented seven operas. The Company stayed and had operating today. a continuous run for fourteen years. When Madame Bianchi died the San Francisco newspapers editorially described Another early pioneer was Domenico Ghirardelli, who her as “the Mother of Music in California”. later changed his first name to Domingo. In 1849 he came to California from Peru to mine, but instead of mining he To showcase Italian pride, the first Columbus Day opened a coffee salon, and in 1852 he founded Ghirardelli celebration and parade was presented on October 19, 1869. Chocolate Company at what is now Ghirardelli Square. It was organized by the leading Italian civic leader at the Still another to come in 1849 was Giuseppe Musto, who time, Nicola Larco. ten years after his arrival began shipment of marble from Italy to California and started the Musto — Keenan Marble During this early era after 1850, a number of Italian Company, one of the largest in the nation.