Orphans and lost children, like Angela and Maria, had little options after Ellis

Transcription

1 Angela Piazza and Maria Calimera, both shown in the image above, were Italian immigrants who soon found themselves alone in a strange new country. Their families, like many immigrants during the late 19 th and early 20 th century, journeyed to America in an attempt to obtain the American Dream: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. This goal, however, was harder to achieve than they thought. While passing through Ellis Island, both girls were ill and hospitalized in the infirmary. Instead of waiting for their children, the families moved on without them. The girls, who were only five years old, were now orphans. Orphans and lost children, like Angela and Maria, had little options after Ellis Island. Once they were better and no longer mandated to stay in the infirmary, they would either be sent back to Italy (provided that they still had family there) or would be placed on orphan trains (Moreno, 2005, p. 11). The orphaned immigrants would be transported to rural towns away from the city in an attempt to find a permanent home (Moreno, 2005, p. 11). The United States was reluctant for these children to become wards of the state. Fortunately, the St. Raphael Society adopted Angela and Maria. In the 1914 photograph,

2 the girls are pictured holding dolls, which were a gift from the society in an effort to make them feel more at home. The girls and their families were attempting to better their lives. In their effort, they were forced to sacrifice their children. At the age of five, these girls were not free to live as they wished; they needed guardians. It can be assumed that since they were separated from their family, thrust into a new country and unable to speak the language, they were not happy. It is also easy to believe that their lives would have been better if they stayed in Italy, rather than immigrating to America. This image and information is courtesy of The Center of Migration Studies. The detail information was originally in Italian, which necessitated the use of Italian translators. Moreno, B. (2005). Children of Ellis Island. [Nookbook Edition]. Charleston, SC: Arcadia. Retrieved from The center for migration studies of new york (CMS). (n.d.). Retrieved from

3 The girl in the above image is Consola Pace at the age of ten. She and her mother immigrated to the US to obtain the American Dream with life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. The journey to the states would have been a rough voyage on an ocean liner and would have been known as via dolorosa. The trip would have last approximately two weeks and would have held around 6,000 travelers. The Italian Immigrants would have spent their time in the cargo hold in close quarters with 299 other people that would be ill and suffering from seasickness or other illnesses. The food was

4 sparse and barely edible. The younger passengers like Consola would have played their instruments and sang to help pass the time and entertain their fellow passengers (Aldridge, 38-39). Consoloa s life in the US would be difficult enough, she would have had to work to help support her and her mother, for young girls that meant selling newspapers on street corners and ensuring that the money she earned was handed straight to her mother at the end of every week unopened (Aldridge, 56). Consola s life did not get easier, while she and her mother were living in Steubenville, Ohio her mother passed away. The St. Raphael Society heard about Consola s trouble and instead of allowing her to become a ward of the state they paid for her return voyage to Napoli, Italy. Her father was still there and it was a better option for her livelihood to be reunited with family than to became an orphaned child in a foreign country. This image and information is courtesy of The Center of Migration Studies. The detail information was originally in Italian, which necessitated the use of Italian translators. Aldridge, R. (2003). Immigrants in america: italian americans. Philadelphia: Chelsea House. The center for migration studies of new york (CMS). (n.d.). Retrieved from

5 Santa Giuliana Giovanni and his family is pictured with Maria Corona, a single woman. The Giovanni family would have traveled with Maria Corona to ensure she returned to Italy safely. The Saint Raphael Society helped both families with their return journeys. Santa and his family immigrated to the United States for the American Dream of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Santa had contracted tuberculosis at some point and became unable to support his family. If he became sick it was likely during the traveling to the US but he managed to get past the doctors in the New York Harbor due to a lack of symptoms (Sandler, 19). The quarters were so tight in the ships that could have been entirely possible. As Santa became sicker he would have been unable to work enough to support his family and his children were young enough that they would not have made enough money to help out. The family would have needed to return to Italy to have the support of their extended family. The

6 Giovanni family would have traveled with Maria Corona to ensure she returned to Italy safely. The Saint Raphael Society helped both families with their return journeys. Maria Corona would have came over to the US with the intent to meet a family member and lost contact at some point during her journey. According to the Center for the Migration Services woman did not have the means to support themselves on their own. This image and information is courtesy of The Center of Migration Studies. The detail information was originally in Italian, which necessitated the use of Italian translators. Sandler, M. W. (2004). Island of hope: the story of ellis island and the journey to america. New York: Scholastic.

7 Immigrants journeyed to America on ocean liners that traveled across the Atlantic. The woman depicted on the left traveled with her husband on the Titanic in When the ship sank, her husband perished. Now widowed and in a new country without any means of supporting herself, she was left utterly helpless. Fortunately, the St. Raphael Society aided her, secured return passage, and helped her return to family in Italy. Women without a male escort would not be permitted to enter the country. Additionally, law restricted immigrants who were liable to become a public charge from successfully passing through Ellis Island (Moreno, 2003, p. 34). Like many Italian women, the woman pictured did not have any skills, and therefore would not be able to find work or make money. Immigrants came to the United States because they believed it was the golden land (Sandler, 2004, p. 10). They left their countries, families, and friends in an attempt to achieve the American dream: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. When they

8 arrived in America, however, they soon found that life would not be as easy as they initially thought. Many were not free to enter the country, had little rights, and had to work long, arduous days in dangerous occupations. Furthermore, many immigrants did not even make it to America, but succumbed to illness and disease during the journey (Aldridge, 2003, p.38-39). Surviving family members, females especially, had little option available. The St. Raphael Society aided immigrants who found themselves in similar circumstances. They assisted newcomers, comforted detained immigrants, found relatives of newly arrived immigrants, offered them religious comfort, and even helped them return to their native country (Stibili, 1977, p. 23). This image and information is courtesy of The Center of Migration Studies. The detail information was originally in Italian, which necessitated the use of Italian translators. References: Aldridge, R. (2003). Immigrants in america: italian americans. Philadelphia: Chelsea House. Moreno, B. (2003). Italian Americans. Hauppauge, NY: Barron's Educational Series, Inc. Sandler, M. W. (2004). Island of hope: the story of ellis island and the journey to america. New York: Scholastic.

9 Stibili, E. C. (1977). The St. raphael society for the protection of Italian immigrants, Notre Dame. The center for migration studies of new york (CMS). (n.d.). Retrieved from

10 Many immigrants started their journey healthy and ended with some sort of illness. The immigrants who became ill had to either go into a hospital until they were well or return to their home country. The mothers who had children would have been separated just the same as the men and children who were ill. Bernardo is little boy in the above photo standing on a chair. Bernardo was ten years old when he came over to the US with his mother. She was like many immigrants that came to the country and became ill on the journey and was hospitalized upon arrival. The immigration inspector and matron took Bernardo in while his mother was hospitalized until she was well enough to take care of her son and not spread disease throughout the country. Bernardo s mother would have been seperated and if her journey was anything like Angelina Palmiero s it would have been a difficult. Angelina was a young girl the same age as Bernardo, however she was the one who was hospitalized. The sick would be sent

11 to the hospital with no contact from the family members. Angelina recalls that no one explained to her what was wrong or where her family was (Aldridge, 37). As a young girl that would be quite a scary experience but as a mother that scary experience would be much worse. As Bernado s mother, she would have not only been concerned about her well-being and the location of her other family members but the well-being of her young son being kept safe by people she did not have a relationship. People that are suppose to care for her child, yet has no one to give updates on what is going on with him. This image and information is courtesy of The Center of Migration Studies. The detail information was originally in Italian, which necessitated the use of Italian translators. Aldridge, R. (2003). Immigrants in america: italian americans. Philadelphia: Chelsea House. The center for migration studies of new york (CMS). (n.d.). Retrieved from

12 The Saint Raphael Society helped many immigrants traveling through Ellis Island. The travelers from Italy and other countries throughout the early 20th century overcame many obstacles. They had to ensure they were healthy, able to travel great distances, and had the finances to travel the great distance.