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Your family’s grocery store becomes popular and you are able to open a second store in another part of town.

With the grocery and hat businesses thriving, Maria and Frank appreciate that Primrose and Caesar, now adults, do not need to struggle as they did. Each is pursuing school and careers that will eventually take them to cities in other states.

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Due to the rise of Benito Mussolini and WWII, there is an upsurge of anti-Catholic and anti-Italian sentiment. This leads to the vandalizing of Italian grocery stores such as yours. Repairing the damage to your family’s store costs $1,000.

What do you have to do to truly be accepted in this country?

How can your family be more American?

A. Community cultural festivals

B. Regional Identity in homeland

C. Cultural food and gardening traditions

Moment of Reflection:
Do you think giving so much up will allow you to be accepted as true Americans?

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After a few years working on the ranch, Virgil and Frank save enough to open a small grocery store in a town near your family’s home. Although, the store mostly caters to the typical American clientele, you keep a small section stocked with traditional Italian goods for other Italians you remain connected to in private.

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Because of the sacrifice made to fit it, few people in public recognize your Italian roots. Behind closed doors, you find encouragement. Small boarding houses and mutual aid societies created by churches and schools, such as the Dante Alighieri Society and the Christopher Columbus Society, offer support and comfort.

Maria’s hat business expands and gains prominent local attention. Two representatives from Strauss and Co. come to your family’s home to offer a contract to sell Maria’s hats in their stores. As the representatives are leaving one says "Thanks for the hospitality. Felt like home here. You folks are some of the good ones''. With a wink they leave.

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Your family makes it to Ohio and attempts to fit in. The job at the ranch works out, and the men make good money. Maria starts a small hat making business from home that makes her proud. However, Harper’s Weekly just published some anti-Italian cartoons suggesting poor Italian mothers have too many children. People now jeer at Maria as she walks with the children in town. The family is afraid again.

What can help you stay under the radar so you stay safe?

What will you give up?

A. Community cultural festivals

B. Regional Identity in homeland

C. Cultural food and gardening traditions

A moment for reflection:
How are you feeling about the choices you have made so far?

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The news is bad. Three Italians and several Chinese were killed after replacing striking coal miners in town, and the convicted murderers were just exonerated.  Your family doesn’t feel safe in the town.

However, because of the sacrifices you made to assimilate, you have an opportunity. Frank’s uncle has a connection to a ranch in Ohio and thinks the men in your family might find work there.

Which cultural identity will you give up to protect the family and make a good impression at the ranch?

A. Community cultural festivals

B. Regional Identity in homeland

C. Cultural food and gardening traditions

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Welcome to Ellis Island, gateway to the United States for everyone without a first or second class ticket. This is how over 12 million people will enter the U.S.—In fact, over 40% of all Americans can trace their roots to someone who passed through here.

Welcome to the Melting Pot!

You will need to fit in, so hard decisions must be made.

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MEMBERS:

Evelyn Montecucco, age 50

Virgil Montecucco, age 53

Frank Spaziani, age 36

Maria del Signore Spaziani, age 31

Primrose Spaziani, age 8

Caesare Spaziani, age 4

OCCUPATION:

Railroads, Millinery, Merchandising

FROM:

Northwestern Genoa, Cerabali

MIGRATION TO THE UNITED STATES:

1892, to escape failing crops and malnutrition.

Click HERE for your family's cultural identity.