What Italians really think about Italian-Americans

[@nytn]

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[@user-ii4zf5iq3t]

The Italians that came to America in the early 1900's left the Italian death, Destruction, Volcanos, Earthquakes and were glad to be in America. They adopted America and what it had to offer. My husband's father was one of those families. He prospered, was happy. When my future husband took me home to meet his parents he said when they ask you your ancestry, say, "Soy Amerigano". They loved America. Probably even more glad they weren't living in Italy during WW2.

[@user-ii4zf5iq3t]

Back in those days, you would find signs taped to doors saying: "Irish Need Not Apply here", "No Irish".

[@user-ii4zf5iq3t]

My son is seeking an Italian citizenship. His Great Grandfather never naturalized as a USA citizen. The family was from Cefalù. I have ancestors that were artists & musicians for the Dogé of Venice. It's up in the air as to where they were from before that, migrations, but King Henry VIII brought them to England as court musicians. The Bassano's. Supposedly I am a direct descendent of William Shakespeare's brother.

[@daranel4373]

Check Black's Law directory 4th edition "Free white people " definition.

[@goofygrandlouis6296]

What I think is that you don't need to be insecure about your origin story. lol, your features are soooooooooooo Italian. If you came to Europe, everybody else would think you're from Italy. 100% guaranted. I think it would take my brain 0.2sec max, to pinpoint where you ancestors were from. 😅

[@Janus10001]

Fascinating discussion! I went to Italy with my Italian American friend, and he was clearly disoriented by Italy. He's a New Jersey Italian American, so lots of ethnic pride, maybe even a little swagger about being "Italian." I suppose he might have expected instant resonance and a confirmation of some root identity. But that's not what he got. For one, I think the Italians were more fascinated by me, a black American, as a true exotic (as American as can be, but BLACK!)-this was 30 years ago-and for another, I sensed they were standing on caste as Europeans first and foremost. Americans in general had no comparable standing in culture or sophistication, and Italian Americans less so. And I learned from another Italian friend why that was: the Italians who emigrated to America generations back were typically southerners-Sicilians, Neapolitans, Calabrians. The prejudice against them from northern Italians was (and I'm told still is) quite pronounced and blatant. One friend told me her Italian American parents made an unpopular marriage because the father was Sicilian and the mother was from a proper northern family. I think many ethnic white Americans who go back to the old country hoping for a kind of spiritual reset or cultural affirmation run into this same disillusionment: Quite frankly, the countries they derived from couldn't care less. I've heard the same from Irish American friends about Ireland, German American friends going to Germany, Swedish American friends, etc. There are KZbin channels charting the shock of thwarted African Americans who relocate to African countries. I suppose the moral is, nothing will teach us how American we really are except leaving home. What's funny about this is, to the people of all those places we go in search of roots, they don't see us by the divisions we elevate among ourselves. We really do all look alike to them, after a fashion-all American, both wildly naive and overconfident, as ignorant about who we really are as we are about where our forebears originally came from.

[@nytn]

this was just so so interesting to read, thank you for taking the time to share. I laughed out loud at the beginning! You are so right, nothing makes me feel more American than when I am abroad.

[@elleanna5869]

This is absolutely the right thing to understand. I say it like a Nigerian that 9 times out of 10 disappoints black Americans. Your heritage is fully western and American you got a sparkle of Africa as well other US people have sparkles of Asia Europe or whatever but you *shine* American! What's the point in hating among yourselves and using other nations and continents culture as a tool to divide and fight into US society? This just fuels misunderstanding, baseless hatred and ignorance. In the US , politicians should decrease or even better try to stop using ethnicity or "race" rants as political weapons. It already backfired badly (as Europe and Africa history with their own tribal divisions teaches). You won't find "validation" or identity in dna tests or in fake myths , while you will find solace and useful insights in *actual* history even if it's complicated and often unpleasant. With my black Americans friends it usually ends in frustration when I just say "no bro, Africa was not a perpetual party unless the yts came and spoiled it and no, you won't fit wherever you go and own the whole continent because of your melanin alone" Btw , about South and North beef in Italy , I guess it's the only country where a Northern shouts "Africa!" to mock/provoke a Southern - being both white, or at least I didn't meet this so commomly elsewhere. The moment this happened , I turned my head thinking it was for me and both the guys (one Northern and one Southern) both shake their heads and with quick / sharp hand gesture "say" to me "no it's about us nevermind" 🤣🤣🤣

[@nytn]

I think you’re the one who needs to start making videos. This was riveting, hilarious and really the truth. I love how you said “sparkle”.

[@elleanna5869]

@@nytn thank you so much 😁but I'd never be so soothing yet compelling and effective as you are ☺️ I really appreciate your work , I feel the amount of good will, patience, respect and honesty you put in it. It's a relief to find people like you offering high quality contents in US socials , overall I found discouraging the state of US education system. Too submissive of socio-political trends and agendas, things get easily torbid . Not being rude, believe me, I am just concerned because US have a world wide influence and dismissing culture always brings troubles. Btw, I am hopeful ❤️ and also def have a strong positive bias towards Italy and especially South Italy😉 never faced discrimination , met great teachers and people, and experienced epic Sicilian hospitality ❤️ ngl, I am a lucky migrant, skilled and educated enough to fit - not rich at all but with a job. This matters tremendously . But beyond my own lucky experience, I think Italy is a must when it comes to culture and understanding humanity. By fate and geology, it 's at the crossroads of the world , East/West, North/South and in the ancestral meltin pot,the Mediterranean . It's a mini continent for natural and culture diversity and its history tells a lot about human patterns, both misery and grandeur... Highly recommended for every "Explorer"☺️.And today Italy is... Surprising , puzzling and fascinating in many ways. Btw the only video I should do probably is about the Roman Empire trend and my Italian friends reactions , their "wtf???" faces are priceless 🤣🤣🤣

[@dominicbriganti5710]

Great response !!

[@julian-y4k]

A little random anecdote from a Sicilian person born and raised in Sicily: there is this story, in my family, of a cousin with myopia who couldn't afford glasses. Having emigrated to America, she finally managed to buy some and was so enthusiastic about them that she started sending them as gifts to her relatives who remained in Sicily!

[@beaujac311]

That's beautiful. I know what it is like not being able to read the blackboard at school. I'm a 61 year old man from the US. I got my first pair of glasses in the third grade, which was the early 1970's. Back then glasses were very expensive. When I say expensive I mean what I now pay for a pair of glasses is probably what my parents paid for my first pair over fifty years ago. I glasses I have on now cost me 60 dollars. With the advent of the internet the prices of a lot of things went way down. Thirty years ago I was paying $200 dollars for a pair of glasses because the frames were so expensive. And the ones I bought then were on the low end of the price scale. I can say that the internet has had some positive effects. But still that was a great story of her sending her family members glasses because she knew how much having them meant to her.

[@rroadmap]

@@beaujac311 Yes, I just bought my 12-year-old grandson another pair through the internet for $100. I have to pay a little more to get comfortable ones that he will wear. It's his 3rd pair since school started. The rowdy dogs knocked the first pair off his desk at home and he accidentally stepped on them. A kid in P.E. kicked a ball and hit him in the head breaking the glasses, while he was sitting on the sidelines. I sure don't want to be buying expensive ones if they're going to get broken this often! But like you said, he can't see the board without them!

[@beaujac311]

@@rroadmap Ha ha ha. I was kind of of rough on glasses myself as a kid. I played football baseball basketball and they were always getting knocked off my face.

[@johnaloe6442]

In the states, unlike Australia, if Italians did not speak English in public, they were heavily discriminated against, this is the reason why few Italian Americans no longer speak Italian. It had nothing to do with Italians wanting to forget their italian language and heritage and integrating. They were just victims of the forced discriminatory integration process.period. This is why italo americans to this day are very proud of their italian heritage and to this very day continue to consider themselves Italian even though they were not born in Italy and speak little Italian. Italian Americans understand this as do I as an Italian Australian, even though some (and not all) north or northern italians don't. But then just as their is discrimination amongst Italian's on the basis of whether they are from the south, there is an equal and opposite if not greater discrimination by southerners against northener's who are considered not descendants of goths and lombards as very few of them invaded and eventually assimilated, but descendant's of Austrian's and French who ruled Northern italy in the late 17th, 18th and 19th century. To put it simply they are not considered and are not Italians, hence the fair complexion of some but not all northern Italians. Because of WASP policies that were in place in America at the time southern italians were forced to relinquish their italian heritage and in particular their language. But then the WASP'S at the end were also virtually wiped out, I suugest you read the 'Dying American', which details how Americas diverse ethnic groups bought an end to the predominant WASP culture/stereotype. I hail the Italian Americans who despite the discrimination and injustice have become very successful in America and retained and are proud of their Italian origins and to this day continue to consider themselves Italian, notwithstanding what northern Italians think. Now that they are successful and not in a state of poverty as they were when they migrated to America, they should all return to Italy and put the Italian born Italians in their place and make Italy a more just productive and affluent country.

[@julian-y4k]

@@johnaloe6442 I'm not really sure what the point is. I only know that sometimes we should let those who experience the facts first hand speak, and not those who live thousands of kilometers away. Just as I, as an Italian, keep quiet and listen when people talk about the problems of Italian-Americans (or Italian-Australians) so those who have never set foot in Italy or experienced life in Italy should have the humility to know that they don't know much. In this case I speak because, as a Sicilian, I know very well that there is no discrimination of southerners against certain northern Italians "because they do not derive from the Goths and Lombards (I sincerely hope that all this is just a big mistake of understanding on my part). The Sicilians and, in general, the southern Italians, never cared much about the origins of the Lombards and Piedmontese, they were too busy not to be colonized by the "civilized" north. Rather it are the northern Italians who historically "hate" southern Italy for its Mediterranean origins (even today you can hear some elderly people insulting us because we are "arabs") and its diversity which is often confused with backwardness.

[@Vegaswill714]

As an American of Italian descent, I can say that Professor Coniglio's explanation is very consistent with the stories I heard from my Italian grandparents, who arrived in the 1910's. I always had the feeling that Italian culture moved on from the period of the Italian diaspora, whereas the American concept of what it means to be Italian was frozen. Very interesting video.

[@SlaveNation1]

It is normal! That what happens to every immigrant. They always think that their place of origin haven’t changed.

[@jo100]

My Grandparents Immigrated To America 🇺🇸 From Uganda 🇺🇬 in 1910

[@lulumoon6942]

Very enlightening to be sure.

[@daviddauza]

Prior to telecommunication technology of mid-20th century, it would have been difficult for immigrants to keep aware of changes in culture & language of their home country. And are conservative in their attempt to maintain language, culture & self-identity. Certainly this is what happened with Acadian/Cajun community in French Louisiana. In isolation from current metropolitan France, Acadian/Cajun language remained static to the early 1600's France. Acadian/Cajun culture developed in isolation in southwest Louisiana since their arrival in late 1700's when Louisiana was a Spanish colony, and incorporated some culture from Andalusian & Islenos immigrants that arrived at the same time.

[@JK-vc7ie]

I think that is spot on.

[@thedavidguy01]

Thanks for a very informative and interesting video. I’m a typical Italian-American whose grandparents came from southern Italy. My grandparents were determined to assimilate and didn’t speak Italian at home and wanted their children to speak only English. The only part of their culture that they maintained was the food. I married a woman who was born in Italy but grew up in the USA. Her parents spoke Italian at home and maintained close ties to their families in Italy. In many ways they never assimilated. I learned about Italian culture from my in-laws and I learned how most Italian-Americans, including myself, know practically nothing about Italian language, history, and culture. I’ve had the pleasure of meeting my wife’s relatives in Italy and spending time with them in their homes. It’s given me a completely different perspective than you can get as a tourist. I’m also learning Italian as a way to connect with my roots. I’m somewhat embarrassed by my fellow Italian-Americans who proudly proclaim that they are Italian when they are often so ignorant about Italy.

[@dontlaughtoomuch11]

Your grandparents were not smart in that case! The key is to "INTEGRATE" and never "ASSIMILATE". Integration entails, you remain language, culture, pride of heritage and ties to the country of your ancestors, assimilation does the exact opposite. They also deprive their children of access to their ancestral nation by not speaking their language.

[@spideraxis]

Well said. Look how many can't pronounce their names correctly.

[@dontlaughtoomuch11]

@@spideraxis Exactly, integration involves you adapt to the country where you are living, while you can still maintain your identity. Assmilation is such a poor way of trying to cowtow to the country that hosts you, because deep down you know (especially from a different region) they will never accept "your kind". (As rightwing crazy as it sounds)

[@spideraxis]

@@dontlaughtoomuch11 I agree, but please don't equate your statement with "right wing craziness". There is a clear difference between that and wanting people to assimilate. One can both adapt, assimilate and retain ethnic identity. I am a solid right winger and live in an overwhelmingly Italian-American community. With the exception of the food, people here are totally assimilated into American society. We celebrate Columbus Day and the Fourth of July. It is the lunatic left that maligns anyone or anything that doesn't fit its narrative. Such as portraying a proud Italian-American as racist while a proud Dominican has every right to be so.

[@dontlaughtoomuch11]

@@spideraxis Sorry, but the semantic definition of assimilation: Losing entire identity while trying to fit in a new group. Integration is the middle road, you adjust to a new situation accept the conditions of living while still maintaining an identity.

[@voiceyourresilience209]

Love this! I have my Italian citizenship through my grandfather and this spring I reconnected with Italian cousins in my grandmother's little village in Basilicata. It was a home coming! I now live in Italy part-time and feels like coming full circle.

[@TommasoB-n4c]

I confirm what professor Luca Coniglio said. I am from Veneto and the Venetians who emigrated almost all went to Brazil. Many of them in the southern states of Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul. In Brazil the Talian language is recognized which in reality is not Italian but originates from the fusion of the dialects of northern Italy with the predominant component of the Venetian language. Venetians can speak easily with Italian-Brazilians by speaking the Venetian language and them Talian language. I remember when I was a child, letters from Brazil occasionally arrived at home from people with the same surname who were trying to find their origins.

[@lucianomezzetta4332]

"Almost all!? No, signore I meet many from the Veneto when I lived in San Francisco.

[@TheIronweed-vx5lg]

Can you explain why most northerners decided on South America in general? Was it them knowing that the U.S and Canada were receiving immigrants from the south and therefore avoided North America? Thanks.

[@TommasoB-n4c]

@@lucianomezzetta4332 Obviously not everyone went to Brazil. But many do. Especially if we talk about the period after the union with Italy. Even today we witness emigration, but It is different. They are often young people with university education. I also have relatives in the USA. My aunt married an American soldier.

[@TommasoB-n4c]

@@TheIronweed-vx5lg I honestly never asked myself why. I did a quick search and found this on Wikipedia. it.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emigrazione_veneta

[@sicilianknicca_mickygreeneyes]

how well is intelligibility with the venetian mexican colony

[@wesleyshelby8163]

Wow thank you all for this video and conversation! I’m a Black American and I learned so much about Italian and Italian American Culture. I didn’t know that an Italian invented Bank of America and the telephone. Lots of people from other parts of the world may not understand why people somewhat forsook their culture from their homelands after arriving in America. This video is correct, we had to assimilate into to America for survival. Either we lost money or were killed if we weren’t like the Culture of America 😔.

[@spideraxis]

Very well written. I admire your openness and willingness to learn.

[@marioarguello6989]

Selling your soul for money is nothing to to be proud of

[@petersclafani4370]

Dont forget Fermi. Italians go back to great cultures etruscans, romans. Italians were also known very well they created the Renaissance. Michaelangelo. De vinci.

[@jameswilliams3241]

Marconi and the radio mustn't be forgotten.

[@mjivory410]

​@@petersclafani4370One of the reasons that Enrico Fermi emigrated to the USA during the fascist/Mussolini period was because his wife was Jewish:::: __look it up__😮😢😮

[@JustFluffyQuiltingYarnCrafts]

The wealth of information that Professor Luca shared here is its own whole new series. When he spoke of the Italian-American "culture" being more Southern Italian than any other region of Italy I was so intrigued. It made me want to study Italian immigration and the reasons for it. An additional interview with him would definitely be a great idea. Thank you, Danielle, so very much for another wonderful video. ❤ P.S. I LOVED the Sopranos and felt a little hurt hearing about how the series is viewed in Italy, but I totally understand.😉

[@nytn]

lol! I have yet to see the sopranos because I can’t handle violence at all, but I bet I would get a real kick out of the characters

[@giorgiodifrancesco4590]

If you look to wikipedia in English and then in Italian you can see that the data are very different. The English page seems to suggest that emigration occurred from the South and then from the North East of Italy. If you look, however, at the data published on the Italian page you can clearly see that this is not the case and that the North West was also affected. From 1876 to 1900, Piedmont (North West) had many more emigrants than Sicily: 709,000 against 226,000. Some may think: but after that it was no longer like that. Indeed, but the initial gap has not been filled: 831,000 against 1,126,000. So, forget about the English wiki and go and translate the one into Italian. It's important not to listen to those who promote whining (like: the South was colonized and southerners were pushed to emigrate by northerners...that's bullshit). Italians emigrated from both the North and the South. They emigrated for the same reasons: 1) rural poverty; 2) desire to try individual luck (too little is said about this fact). The fact that the Sicilians almost all went to the States, while the Venetians almost all went to Brazil, while the Piedmontese went to France and Argentina, derives from the fact that each group of people went where the first adventurers of their area they went, that is, he went to the place of which there was mythical news in his area of origin.

[@stackered]

​@nytn it's considered the best show ever and is about a lot more than violence. It's actually a genuinely hilarious dark comedy, as an NJ Italian I love it

[@strikedn]

Emigration was also massive from the North East which was as poor as the South. Veneto (in the North East) was the region with the highest number of emigrants between 1876-1900 . Never understood why there's this idea that emigration only came from the South. If you check the real data you'd be shocked.

[@franz9573]

@@strikedn Because especially in the USA it was mainly southern Italians who emigrated (80%) and then people think this applied to all Italians, but this is not the case. 25 million Italians emigrated between 1870-1970. And in 1st place is Veneto ( towards Brazil). Until 1960, Veneto was one of the poorest regions in Italy - today it is one of the richest after Lombardy. California is the only state in the USA with a majority of northern Italian emigrants compared to southern Italian immigrants. Especially from Liguria, Piedmont and Trentino. Many winemakers in California have Piedmontese and Trentino roots. (especially San Francisco area and Napa Valley.)

[@bernardtaylor8975]

I remember when I was a student studying in Rome and one of my classmates who the time American always talking about how Italian she was unfortunately, I have to be around when an Italian told her is that you are not Italian you know very little about our language or culture in our customs and that you are an American with Italian ancestry but you're not Italian. I felt sorry for her because he took the air out of her bubble. But I've also had to experience with some African Americans to go to Africa and learn that they are not really African but people of African descent because they're not a member of any particular tribe or group that govern to the societies for the most part still! We really should not fool ourselves into thinking that we are part of societies that we have been long separated from and only have a wisp those cultures exist in our everyday lives.

[@lucianomezzetta4332]

It would help a lot if you could write in the English language.

[@hopeintruth5119]

I mean African Americans refer to usually an ethnic group of people who ancestors were enslaved from all over the coast of Africa and landed in U.S.A. they had a few dead languages but they had dances, customs, and even good and hair style. African American know they aren't African but it's yo remember where they came from. And a name for their group they share culture and custom and history with. Hence an ethnic group of their own

[@bernardtaylor8975]

@@lucianomezzetta4332 it would help if you appreciate the f****** message, and not be so goddamn concerned about the grammar and the punctuation because Voice to Text does not always punctuated correctly and has been known to change things once individual has sent them. Please, try not be an a******!

[@bernardtaylor8975]

@@hopeintruth5119 unfortunately, you're not accurate because I served with a few African-Americans who were disappointed in Africa because they wanted to identify as Africans when they were not! Much respect.

[@hopeintruth5119]

@@bernardtaylor8975 factually you are wrong, black Americans/ African Americans or whatever term usually refer to black people in America that are descended from enslaved Africans or have generations there. They are there own ethnic group that get called many names. Stop and go read

[@cjc2]

Fantastic interview. My family on my mother’s side are Argentines of Northern Italian descent. I didn’t know too much of the Italian diaspora until I started watching your videos.

[@nytn]

Wonderful! We are learning together:)

[@MusicFanOnline]

When he said that he never found an Italian in New York whose family was from north of Rome, I felt that because I AM a 2nd generation Italian-American whose family came from northern Italy, and like he said, I never find people with family from the north like me. It makes me a little sad that I can't speak in Italian with Italian-Americans in New York because either they can't speak Italian at all or they speak in a dialect from a different region that I don't really understand.

[@critogni]

As an 2nd generation (NY State) American of Italian origins currently living in Southern Italy (Guardia Sanframondi, Benevento, Campania), I found this fascinating. Thank you!

[@FrancescoRossi-q4s]

From Italy, near Milan. I agree with the Professor that you would enjoy reading some Italian and specifically Sicilian history, going back to Ancient Roman and Greek times, but also the Renaissance period, when the Dukes of Milan were richer than the Kings of England (as witnessed for example by Shakespeare, who spoke of "the fashions of proud Italy"). Modern Italian history is more controversial, but in the last two hundred years, despite many mistakes e.g. World War II, Italy has progressed from being a collection of mostly poor regional states to its present status as one of the G7 powers and certainly the leading Mediterranean country, if we exclude France, which is only partly Mediterranean.

[@A_Corte]

I could have listened to hours of this, and Professor Luca's advice at the end is spot on. I was lucky enough to find my relatives that live in a small village in Northern Italy a few years ago, they were so wonderful and accommodating. I also have Southern Italian blood but I haven't visited the village yet. I also just got approved for my Italian citizenship. Professor Luca is also right, it's fascinating to study the history. Americans are so used to our history, which is only a couple hundred years old, but Italian history goes back much much further and it's amazing to realize you are a part of it. Thanks for sharing this great interview!

[@recieve.believe3344]

You should do an episode about Italian migrations to Latin American countries like Argentina, Mexico, Brazil, ect and how the Italian cultures influenced parts of Latin American culture.

[@nytn]

great idea!

[@ntl5983]

​@@nytnThey took over Argentina.

[@maryannwaters339]

Liguri (genovesi/chiavaresi) went mainly to: Argentina (BsAs /Rosario) Uruguay, Chile (Valparaiso/Arica), Peru (Callao, Lima, Chincha, Tacna), Ecuador (Guayaquil) and California (San Francisco/Stockton).

[@maryannwaters339]

Like "Bank of America," "Banco de Credito/"Banco Italiano," in Peru, was started by Genoese immigrants in Lima, in 1919.

[@recieve.believe3344]

@@maryannwaters339 Interesting. Italians did play some part in the development and cultural heritage of Latin American countries. The national anthem of my birth country El Salvador 🇸🇻 was composed by an Italian immigrant to El Salvador named Juan Aberle. Also one of El Salvador's past President's of the early 1990's named Alredo Cristiani was also of Italian descent. There were thousands of Italians who moved to El Salvador in the 1890's looking for a better life and some opened many businesses, were involved in banking, education and the economic development of the country.

[@raymondszmigiel1309]

Excellent video! Although I am not Italian by ancestry, one of my cousins (one generation removed) is married to an Italian woman. Interesting how specific the migration was from different parts of Italy to certain destinations in the Americas. Keep these educational and interesting videos coming. Given the times we live in, the more we learn about other cultures and ethnicities, the better.

[@Flametree1492]

I found the migration pattern interesting, northern Italians went to South America and southern Italians came to North America.

[@nytn]

me too!

[@lil_grogu89abuelo59]

I knew about 100% of everything he talked about. I did a ton of research while I was learning Italian. Plus my Italian friends would tell me about their culture.

[@livelife7552]

I’m From the Dominican Republic. I took an ancestry test, and it showed that I’m 19% Italian and it says I have relatives that lived in the apulia region of Italy. I also have distant Italian cousins who live in New Jersey and Long Island. I never met my paternal grand father, but I believe he was predominantly Italian. My father doesn’t even know that he is literally half Italian.

[@dangercat9188]

Yea, my mom is Dominican and I ended up having 7% Italian, especially from lazio.

[@nicoparise-jc5fs]

A lot of Latino people are. Latinos are Italians, we not white. I got nothing but facts behind that.

[@nugolderp4115]

If your percentage is less than 80% you can't even say you're in part italian

[@MW_Asura]

@@nugolderp4115 Hell, if they don't speak the language or don't have dual citizenship they can't even say they're "part Italian"

[@sicilianknicca_mickygreeneyes]

i disagree in ancient rome adoption was huge and was essential for warfaring expanionistic states as such many romans were not italic at all or were partial just like throughout history where various immigrant groups moved in and more or less italicized themselves to some extenxt not even the abereshe or molise croats were not influenced byt the greater italian zietgiest of historical events not the zingaros not the jews nor the muslims as such like my man baby gang if u were born and raised in italy u is italian sangue or niente by contrast if u are born in the diaspora full gentetic fbi or mixed and you appreciate and remember many of the traditions of italy or grew up in an ethnic ghetto that still recieves new immigrants then u are italian also if not of a different flavour and nevermind the identity of coriscans maltesians and nicard or dalamatians who are latinized for millenia@@nugolderp4115

[@axjohn]

You really knocked it out of the park with this video, Danielle! Incredible. ❤❤❤❤❤

[@nytn]

Thank you so much!! I had an amazing time talking with Prof. Luca, he's so passionate and it's contagious

[@brunopaolucci6054]

I’m Canadian Italian. My parents came in 1964 from Abruzzo. I find this fascinating and pretty accurate. The food thing is definitely bang on. I just discovered your channel. I can’t wait to keep following it. Thank you.

[@michaelpierce3264]

It’s the same with every ethnicity we have to accept that we are Americans!

[@nytn]

That's right! It is it's own unique, ever changing beautiful thing

[@nemomarcus5784]

Americans are like Kool-aid. We have an ethnic flavor, but it isn't the same as an authentic flavor. A grape Kool-aid may have some grapey flavor, but it isn't the same as grape juice. Olive Garden may have an Italiany feel to it, but it isn't the same as authentic Italian cuisine in Italy. An Italian-American may have ancestry from 100 years ago, and some cultural remnants but are mainly similar to any hot dog and hamburger American.

[@dominicbriganti5710]

It's long overdue. Please stop referring to yourselves as Italian Americans. It's not what your folks wanted.

[@dominicbriganti5710]

@@nytn It's time for you guys to assimilate into mainstream american culture and drop the hyphenated identities.

[@eangelini01]

What I find annoying is that my parents are from Italy and I was born in a VERY Italian community in a multinational city and I have Italian citizenship. Many Italians from Italy, not all luckily, have an issue with me. I also speak it, but unfortunately I’m out of practice because there are very few italian speakers where I currently live. My issue is that I don’t like being defined or categorized by an Italian living in Italy or anyone for that matter. It’s condescending to me. Now I just say I’m transnational…but I know who I am. That’s all that matters to me.

[@NicheID]

This was a fascinating conversation. It was provocative in that it distinguished the cultural nuances that exist between mainland Italians and those that have settled in the diaspora. The rabbit hole goes even further if you’re willing to explore Italian Canadians the way they have settled in French Canada in Quebec, as well as in Toronto and all the way in western Canada. They too began their migration after the unification. Like many Italian Americans, they came through New York and in Halifax Canada. From these drop off points, they migrated west into more established cities such as Montreal, Toronto and of course Vancouver. Fun fact, Italians were instrumental in building the Toronto subway system from the inception as construction workers. Today, they hold high executive positions in delivering service to millions of people in Toronto. You’re certainly doing an amazing job with showing the history. 👍

[@JulyMoon82]

This is such a good interview, and I think many people across cultures can identify with the idea that although they're a part of a diaspora of a certain ethnic group, there has been a lot of changes made in order to adapt to the environment in which their family/ancestors migrated to. This doesn't necessarily make them any "less" than, just different than their roots. Thank you for sharing. Edited to add, if you're so inclined, it would be interesting if you did a video looking at the Italian influence on San Francisco. I grew up in the Bay Area, initially in San Francisco before moving to another city in the area. Anyhow, growing up in San Francisco I learned a lot about the contributions of Italian immigrants to the city of San Francisco, including the opening of Bank of America. There's a lot of interesting Italian-American history in San Francisco.

[@nytn]

I love this idea! And thank you :)

[@everettscott4745]

I could listen to your very intelligent Guest, all day. I'm black mixed with Chinese, and therefore have no Italian bllod in me, but I've been to Italy probably 30 times for work and leisure. It is the most beautiful place in the world. The people are absolutely lovely. I've never ever experienced any discrimination on my travels there. I like to think that I'm one of Italy's adopted children.

[@clarity256]

My father and his family moved to Canada around the 1960s. They all gave up their citizenship before the new laws came in place. I learned that my grandparents left southern Italy because of no job opportunities, and the threat of the mafia in their small villages they were from. My grandparents and grand aunt and uncle are still appalled and against me considering moving to Italy for a couple of years. Even when I told them my reasons why, they said they left for a reason. Why leave Canada? This is really sad and learning from this video? This helps me further understand not only their perspectives, but current Italians as well. I still wish I can live there for a couple of years to experience Italian culture further.

[@dominicbriganti5710]

Listen to your grandparents.

[@dominicbriganti5710]

What town are you from? You won't get auto citizenship and it's all mafia there now.

[@terrima4064]

You should definitely go and experience life there, The world is very big and if you hold a US passport, you should definitely take advantage of it. I grew up and lived in NYC from 1980-2020. In Feb 2020, my husband and I moved to Taiwan and we've been living here since- one of the best decisions I made in my life! I hope your wish to live in Italy will come true in the future!

[@kitty_s23456]

@clarity - I think it would be good if you could stay in Italy and experience life there, not as a tourist but something more long term. BUT you'll have to look into the logistics of it - do you have a job or business which will allow you to WFH/ anywhere in the world? If yes, then good for you. ☺️ If you intend to seek employment there, I've seen several docus saying that job opportunities are scarce and many young Italians are leaving their country to seek employment abroad - so that's something to consider. Also think of visa issues - I think an American or Canadian can only stay in the EU for 90 days within a 180-day period? (I may be wrong). If you want dual citizenship (Italian), then you'll have to do the paperwork too. I think Italy allows citizenship by descent, up to the grandparents level (if grandparents were citizens). Good luck in your future plans.

[@hirsch4155]

Do it. My parents came from a different country in Europe and even though I was born in Canada I went to live there for a couple years (ended up saying 4). You won’t regret it, in fact I’m even thinking of doing it again.

[@sebastians1770]

As an Italian from Rome who just moved to Los Angeles this year, I find it hard to understand why Italian Americans are so eager to say they are Italians and not Americans. My girlfriend is Italian American and she always says she´s American when people ask. Still, most people I´ve met especially when visiting New York say they are Italian despite not knowing language or culture of Italy and claim that they have Italian "ethnicity" so they are italian and not american, but what is Italian ethnicity? Someone blonde/ginger blue eyed from Bergamo, Bolzano or Venezia is probably not having the same ethnicity as someone dark from Trapani or Cagliari, which of them is not Italian then? And I don´t mean this as disrespect for Americans quite the opposite, as I myself would be very happy and would feel fortunate to be American, and that´s the main reason it´s hard for me to understand why those people reject their American nationality to be so fixated with ancestry from over 100 years back when being in America for 4+ generations.. Again, not disrespecting that people like to explore their origin from way back, I like that. But as "Italian" in Italy is a response to where you´re from and as native Italians are a pot of many different ethnicities just like America is, it would make more sense for us if people would say "I´m american with Italian ancestry" if they don´t want to say they´re american. Because nationality, language and culture is important to, and "Italian" is logically a nationality as the ethnicities is so different across the country

[@nytn]

I completely agree. I think as an American, we often feel so disconnected from our ancestors' place of origin, not realizing that after a few generations....it's the US!

[@fabriziocoppola6519]

Bravissimo/a.

[@RichieD_21]

If you have children in America that you raise there would you say the same thing to them and tell them to renounce their italian heritage because they were born and raised in America?

[@sebastians1770]

@@RichieD_21 Why would they renounce any heritage just because they don't call themselves Italian every other minute? I would for sure expect my kids to reply "American" if they're abroad or "from Los Angeles" if anyone ask where they're from in case we stay here and they grow up here. How often does people actually ask you where your grandparents are from so you actually have to bring up your heritage? Not as often as people here would love to I guess

[@User1039hfovsldhh]

@@sebastians1770Heritage has a time and place if you are reconnecting to Italy your heritage is important but just going around saying I’m Italian American is not right don’t you agree. It is ok to be a American of Italian decent learn the culture

[@christopherreed8152]

Hi Danielle, my friend!!!!!! One of your best videos yet. Tons of info on Italy and Italian-American culture. Who knew??? You seemed very happy, similarly to your interview with your dad, which was another excellent video/interview. Thanks for the subtitles. Your videos have helped to educate me and change my life. In a world that is so tribal, I love your views about color. As you would say...(paraphrasing), If you want colors, look in a box of crayons. I totally agree. We are all different shades of the same race.........human of course. Keep up the great work!!!!! 🙏

[@nytn]

Thank you! I hope to get Luca to do a part 2! Im so glad you are here on the channel with me

[@kitty_s23456]

@@nytn yes to a Part 2 with Prof Luca! Thanks for this vid & thanks to Prof Luca! 💐

[@giovanniserafino1731]

Absolutely wonderful and informative! As one who has successfully gone through the process, I would like to clarify that recognition of Italian citizenship ( de jure sanguinis) for those of Italian ancestry is not as easy as Professor Conglio indicates, at least not in the USA. Depending on how complicated your case may be, the process could require many legal documents from both Italy and the USA. American documents must all be in the “long form” and have no discrepancies. These documents must be translated into Italian by an official translator approved by the consulate . American documents presented to the Italian consulate must be officially notarized by the office of the secretary of state where the documents originate. At this time, due to many requests, and limited personnel at the consulates. there can sometimes be a waiting period of one or two years for the initial appointment just to investigate the possibility of eligibility . This is not to discourage anyone interested, but as we all know, navigating the Italian bureaucracy is no easy task. The whole process can take as long as three or four years or even longer for final recognition of Italian citizenship . However, if interested, go for it! In bocca al lupo! (Good luck!) Viva l’Italia! 🇮🇹

[@idcook]

Perhaps your best presentation to date. Broadly informative, as he sincerely offers some information that while not the most wonderful depiction of early Italian immigrants, is still offered sincerely without his becoming squeamish or feeling required to express unwarranted sense of shame. Extending considerable potential to better understand certain dynamics within Italian-American culture as it exists today. That said, what I found most intriguing was his comment - at about 9:05 - that many had left Italy because the Italian government, itself, 'wanted' them to leave. I’d be interested to learn more detail regarding their reason for this. Again, a Great presentation!

[@rossanomacchioni7746]

Bella intervista con questo giovane professore italiano. Brava , divulghi cose utili..

[@brewstergallery]

This was a fantastic, informative as well as an encouraging conversation. Luca has no problem with his English or being understood. I hope you start learning Italian and go to your family's town of origin maybe get your citizenship. He's right on about going to small villages or to regions that are less tourist heavy. Watch as many Italian language films as you can too. I'm going to check out some more of your videos. Grazie e Buona fortuna

[@nytn]

Thank you! I have more videos planned on this as I keep learning🥰

[@larsedik]

Most of the Italian Americans I have known trace their ancestry back to Sicily, which is not typical of most of Italy. Most of the rest I have known trace their ancestry back to southern Italy or Naples, and this is very different from what I know of Italy, since I have only visited northern and central Italy. I would not expect most Italians (or any from northern and central Italy) to have an interest in Sicilian Americans.

[@e4now788]

I'm on vacation sitting here surfing KZbin, and I'm offered your video. Danielle, what a wonderful video you made! I am not Italian-American, but I love Italy. I learned a lot from your video with Prof. Luca! Thank you.

[@Tbone1492]

My parents got me Italian citizenship as a child. It was easy. They raised me both Italian and English!

[@jimonalimb]

Your videos are giving me LIFE! Thank you for this- I'm learning so much.

[@nytn]

You might really like the videos with my brothers.😅

[@elleanna5869]

This was a gorgeous vid ❤️ as a history scholar (not Italian) I dare to add that European perspective about flags and being patriots is influenced by ww2 trauma. Nationalisms turned tribal and backfired so wildly, conflating with racism... that after the war rising s flag became kinda sus, especially in Italy and Germany , and overall in Europe - with the exception of countries considered "winners" and keeping their colonial influence for a longer time (UK and France). Nationalism got humbled in Europe. But it wasn't all bad, it's the same reason most people are umconfortable with all the "race" stuff. About Italy history...Well , just *whoa* An endless goldmine. South alone , Sicily alone - a lifetime probably isn't enough . Keep your good work and your personal journey ☺️❤️

[@nytn]

Your comment just totally blew my mind re: the flags in Europe post WW2. I am going to write that down so I can poke around a bit later. Thank you for watching and sharing your thoughts!

[@elleanna5869]

@@nytn thank you for your vids and approach, you really raise the bar of learning and debating in the US social media, God knows how much it's needed lately. As your Italian guest stated, you -US- are the giant in the west , you personally add a maybe small but precious contribution to make this giant smarter and more educated Good deal for everyone ☺️ (p.s. still 15-20 yrs ago singing national anthems passionately during sport events was kinda "cringe" suspected of being right wing / fascist stuff in Italy and Germany, now it's different , more relaxed and people enjoy more their anthems)

[@nytn]

I am really really interested in this idea. Video maybe? Thank you!

[@riccardomallardo7779]

One more thing to add is that in America they don't make a distinction between state intended as an institution and nation, I lost count how many tines americans told me "Columbus wasn't italisn because italy didn't exist" In Europe we distinguish state and nation, the republic of Italy and the italian nation are two different things, the republic was born in 1946 but Italy already existed before, just like Russia existed way before 1991, Germany before 1990,France before 1789 and Croatia before 1995. France went from kingdom to republic, then it became an empire, then a monarchy again, then republic, empire and then finally republic again. Germany started as an empire, became a republic, then they got a totalitarian dictatorship, got split in two and now they're back with being a republic, and same gies for Spain, Russia, Sweden and pretty much every european country. What lesson do we europeans learn from this? That the flag, the constitution, the anthem and hell even the borders are all temporary, this is ehy we don't pay attention to them. America is different, instead of being a nation ruled by a state it's a state that artificially created a nation, what do an afroamerican, an italoamerican, an irish american and a WASP have in common? The laws they obey to, it's pretty much the only thing that keeps the american people together, this is also why I believe that america still has capital punishment, to them a law is much more than just a law, it's the core of national identity

[@julianocamargo6674]

My maternal grandmother was from the South and her family emigrated to Brazil. The richest man in Brazil was also a southern Italian, Francesco Matarazzo. But most families are indeed from the North. From Veneto, Tirol, from the Austrian territories.

[@gazoontight]

Some time ago I found a book online that contrasted Italian immigration to the USA and Argentina. If I can find it again, I will post the title for you.

[@dianebuxo4335]

Yes, I believe Pope Francis is Argentinian and of Italian heritage.

[@stackered]

My grandmothers family came from Bari and grandpa Sciacca, Sicily. This video was awesome, thanks for this, would love more of this content as an Italian American who has studied the history of Sicily deeply. We just love to connect to our roots here!

[@MrSloika]

I grew up in North Jersey...right across the river from NYC. There was lots of people of Italian descent where I lived. First thing I realized when I visited Italy is that the 'Italian' food and furniture I experienced in New Jersey doesn't exist in Italy.

[@richardteixeira9411]

Excellent piece. Thank you. I am always amazed at the similarities of experience in the US between Italian- and Jewish-Americans.

[@nytn]

I still plan to do one on the Jewish experience

[@elleanna5869]

A (Jewish )NYer once told me "Italians are just Jews with even better food" 😁 Idk how common this joke is but I also noticed that often Jewish actors played Italian roles and viceversa in US productions kinda "interchangeable". I think there are some valid intriguing reasons for this peculiar proximity, both in Europe and US history .

[@nytn]

I’ll defend bagels on my honor

[@chircoj1]

It should go without saying that most Ashkenazi Jews are descended from Judean’s, and Israelites, many Greek and Aramaic speakers who migrated to Sicily and Roman Italy and took Roman wives who converted to Judaism. They then dispersed throughout central eastern Europe overtime.

[@alandemaio3043]

I’m Italian and only people with italian ancestrys italians really care are footballers or soccer players many of them are entitled to play for Italy, and they’re not Americans, but Brazilians and argentinians mostly. Italians hate maffiosi or mobsters, Americans seems to like them, that’s a big difference.

[@lucianomezzetta4332]

Gli italiani amano anche gli scrittori americani. Tu scrivi delle cazzatte.

[@friedchicken1]

I live in Italy and I can confirm that the latest models of camera and microphones that have reached us are the ones from 1995

[@obi-wanbenkenobi6623]

Effettivamente poteva trovare qualcuno con un microfono e una telecamera migliore, Dio Madonna.

[@nukekidontheblock8349]

We invented camera and microphones gipsy man

[@gooncrusha6638]

Love the synths in the background

[@NatalieSelene]

When I say I am Italian-American, I mean my ethnicity is Italian and my nationality is American. I have spent a lot of time learning about my family's history and migration to the US from Petterano sul Gizio in Abruzzo, Italy. I wish you would stop saying "I'm really just American" because it takes away from our cultural legacy and honoring of our ancestors that suffered incredibly when they came here. My family lost its name when it crossed Ellis. We lost our language during the first wave of Italian US immigration due to the incredible amount of discrimination and harassment they faced for simply being from Italy. They refused to teach the children Italian because they didn't want them to face the same discrimination. Despite that, we kept traditions alive at home and we kept our religion too. We identify as Italian-American. Of course our food is different. That doesn't make it below food in Italy. Just as you all in Italy have changed over the past century doesn't mean that us Italians in the United States were not allowed to also change and evolve culturally too. Of course we have and that is why we are Italian-Americans. We don't want to be you, we want to be us and we want to honor the sacrifices our families made to come here. They worked hard and they didn't complain. We value our families. We had to leave Italy because there was no work. The wealth of the north did not come to the south after unification in 1861 and people were hungry. They would scrape plaster off the walls and mix with flour to make it last longer in the south of Italy. We are Italian-Americans. We are proud of our heritage and culture here in the United States. We didn't just survive, we survived and then we thrived.

[@jake-qn3tl]

Don't worry about it. People who say that have some kind of agenda. My mom's parents are from Italy and I consider myself half Italian. Why can't we identify with our ancestors? The way we look, the culture that's been passed on, the history of the Italian peninsula. It's ours and others are just jealous.

[@NatalieSelene]

@@jake-qn3tl Thank you, I needed to hear that ❤

[@jerometurner8759]

Great interview! Very informative and easy to understand. I really thought they'd talk about the Griko people. I've mentioned them in several comments and I believe they'll be discussed eventually. In case you're not aware about them here is a quick explanation. In antiquity Greeks settled much of southern Italy and Sicily. This Greek culture and language was strong in those areas for a long time .... even fairly recently. Another wave of Greeks entered the Italian peninsula after the fall of Constantinople after 1453. Their descendants considered themselves Greek, and the Italian government from my understanding took actions to Latinize them and make them Italians. There are still villages today that keep the Greek language, but the language after thousands of years is dying. One interesting story from a video on the topic I recently saw ... tourists from Greece visited one such village that still holds onto the old language. An old woman heard the tourists speaking Greek, so she asked another villager who they are. She was informed they're Greeks from Greece, and the old lady became confused. She responded "Wait, what? We don't live in Greece?". Very interesting situation. Like the professor said in the video, the villages are beautiful! I've never been, but I've seen videos of them online and they are stunning. In such villages they have Greek writing visible such as Greek street name signs, they have Greek and Cypriot flags waving. Amazing. Also, supposedly there is a reawakening happening within the people. DNA tests are helping out with that and so is tourism and the learning of history since Southern Italy is filled with ancient Greek sites including beautiful temples and entire cities. They are discovering their Greek roots and people want to touch base with the forgotten culture of their ancestors.

[@gloriabrisco2810]

This was a very enlightening segment...it has really opened my eyes❤

[@GrannyFromItaly]

Awesome video, thanks to both of you.

[@nytn]

Glad you enjoyed it! I had such a fun time

[@GrannyFromItaly]

@@nytn I also enjoy all the researches you post. Very open and honest. Are you interested to find if there are some distant relatives that still leave in Italy? I helped an American friend to trace down Her distant relatives that migrated from Tuscany in the early 1900 as a gift for her father. The small Town all came over to meet them, It was such a warming experience.

[@nytn]

we do have family there. The paternal side, My grandfather had a house in southern italy from his father, and after my grandfather passed away he gave it to cousins. My brother went and stayed there a few years ago. I dont know these people though myself. Id love to go....@@GrannyFromItaly

[@GrannyFromItaly]

Then I Wish you can make It there. You Will love It I am sure. Please continue you videos not only the ones about Italian heritage but all of your researches. I found particularly interesting also the ones about "passing" ❤️

[@OnlyThe1Son]

I think there are certain people from new world countries who feel a lost identity Not 100% of course, An American , or Australian you will still identify as is. But For second generation immigrants or third who have this longing for identity will have this pursuit to know more and wish to become part of that community more. Some 2nd generation kids have a more attachment to their parents or grandparents culture because They were more traditional and authentic immigrants and didn’t want to become Americans they loved their cultures, identity and wanted to keep it even in the new land. So they continued to speak their native language and speak to their kids in their mother tongue, cooked their food, decorated their houses in italian style. Opened businesses servicing their italian community, the children mingled in that community with other children and parents, attended weddings, church and events, ,married into the family of the community. little italy, Korea town, china town etc... This was what it was like for children of parents who came over in 1910s 1920s,etc those kids who grew up in the 30s 40s and 50s were still part of a thriving Italian community living among other Italian/Americans who couldn’t speak Italian and whose fathers worked among Americans, those kids didn’t grow up in an Italian community and only frequented the Italian blocks once every blue moon, so those children were being disassociated from the culture because their father or mother didn’t really care for the Italian culture as much as others did, the ones who were hardcore Italian immigrants wouldn’t let go of their roots. The ones who don’t speak Italian, feel disconnected from their roots, didn’t attend Italian weddings, Italian funerals, spoke Italian at home, cooked Italian food with their grandmother while everyone speaking Italian will feel they missed out while some other children grew up Italian. just like italians do in Italy but in America. Like the Chinese, Koreans or Indians, many of them keep their languages and pass it onto their kids because it’s the first step to their culture, also having family back in china, or Italy which you visit often and share memories with will also help you feel connected to the bloodline. I am a 1st generation Italian immigrant. But my story is unique. I was born in Italy but we moved when I was a child, and my parents wanted to assimilate into the culture, so my mother made American friends, worked around American women, we didn’t live in an Italian neighborhood didn’t have any Italian friends. my mother spoke fluent English quickly and my father was fluent a few years later, of course I went to school and spoke English. My father on the other hand was more 50/50 when it came to American culture, because he was 30 years old when he came out here. Stayed 45 years and now has retired back in Italy. But for 45 years he always considered himself to be Italian. My mother was more American because she was only 22. And my brother and I just felt like American/Italians ………… disconnected from Italy even though we return to Italy to visit family, I feel like a guest in Italy… it use to bother me alot and it still does at times but I cant change the past. My advice is, at 37… go and LIVE in ITALY!!! Not 1 month.. not 1 year.. go and live for at least 5 years! Learn the language the best you can.. get an Italian boyfriend. Live the Italian lifestyle. You still wont be Italian Italian, that’s impossible now. But it’s the closest you can get to it. Also Italian culture isn't all that its cracked up to be, a lot of italian culture is romanticized in hollywood movies and music. reality is a lot different.

[@joeystreets3606]

Incredible high level interviewing techniques exhibited by you Danielle!! He is definitely a fountain of Italian history and culture!

[@nytn]

thank you, this made my day. All the props go to Professor Luca for his incredible wealth of knowledge and how brilliantly he is able to make it understood!

[@joeystreets3606]

@nytn it's not easy to conduct a fluid interview go so smoothly. I have an eye for greatness

[@Rainbowvxn]

Very interesting conversation. I’ve recently started on some Italian courses. Later I’ll learn Sicilian. I know that the dialects are different between regions, so I’d like to pick up a bit from those places that my grandparents came from. I’m teaching my sons right now and perhaps one day we’ll visit the towns my family members were born in.

[@SlaveNation1]

Please don’t be offended for saying this: It doesn’t matter where you came from, what matters is where you are at right now. Be proud of being American no matter where your ancestors came from. You ancestors left for a reason and their culture and traditions are totally different than those of their modern origin. Modern people of the country you are trying to reconnect with will never accept you. That will apply if you are African Americans, European American, Asian American, or Hispanic American. Be proud of your American heritage, culture, language and traditions. America is the only place on earth that will embrace you, accept and be proud of you. This guy even said it ;” Italians don’t care about Italians Americans..” . That sums it all! They will all see you as American, so be proud of your roots (your ancestors chose America to plant their roots for a reason).

[@nytn]

Absolutely, there is no other country in the world where I belong better than here:)

[@User1039hfovsldhh]

Yes however it is a wonderful thing to reconnect to your ancestry I am reconnecting to my family they will always see me as American however I will be a American of Italian ancestry

[@Solek95]

While the USA received Italians from southern Italy, mostly men, Brazil, which has around 30 million descendants, received the majority from the north, where many still preserve regional customs and dialects in southern Brazil.

[@cavaleer]

I'm typing this first sentence before watching the video as a prediction- your guest will say something to the effect, "You're American but you don't realize it because of the requirement in America to be "not black" but "not quite 'white', so Italians, like the Irish, called themselves their old country identity." You didn't realize how American you were because Americans do not think of ourselves as AMERICANS- we have to think "White" "Black" or "Other" basically. This is because SKIN-COLOR was and continues to be the functional Identity in America since 1691 or so, long before the word and reality of AMERICAN existed. You can see this in public and private documents- "White"/"Black" and updated variations are still the way to IDENTIFY oneself, not AMERICAN. Your channel does an outstanding job in documenting the frankly comical/absurd history of this Identity System. Immigration from any country to any other country by definition means becoming the new country. Italians, Germans, Greeks, Irish, Lebanese, Syrians etc immigrated to many country's in this hemisphere 120 years ago and completely forgot about their home culture-ness. But because of the necessities of Skin Color Identity people don't think that's supposed to happen in America. I think it's partially because of Skin-Color Identity Neurosis and Irrationality- "You're not "White" but you can't be "Black" because your skin isn't dark enough" etc This irrationality still functions with words like "Asian", "Hispanic/Latino" etc.

[@danielmasters5484]

Extremely fascinating! I don’t have Italian heritage, but I am in love with Italian language and culture and have been there numerous times.

[@leenam.4578]

Oh so true. Most Italian-Americans speak dialect, not Italian. Some of these dialects do not even derive from Italian but from the languages of the countries they either border or are just across a body of water. Tuscany is the only region without a 'dialect' because their 'dialect' became standard Italian. I live in lower Manhattan. There has been a San Gennaro Festival in Little Italy for many decades.

[@Nissardpertugiu]

Even if Tuscan is very close to stand Italian, there's some differences. The C is aspired , and stuff. Stand.Italian took also from trobador and la scuola siciliana di Jacopu da lentini. Pretarca, Dante , Boccacio copied his style, in Tuscany. Corsican was a twin language from pre Dante medieval tuscan,, inspiring Tuscan and back and forth. Other than that, almost none of the others regional languages derives from italian. Some are older. And they re not from others countries , even though certainly with influences due to either Genova , Pisa invasions, Aragonese court , natural greek and Darija stuff, occitan , catalan.. Sicilian is older, Corsican is older, Piemontese is super old too ! West ligurian stuff stayed more archaic. Like medieval too..

[@lucianomezzetta4332]

The notion of the "real" language is based completely on power, on economic power or political power. If Tuscany had been a backward country with no riches or power few would be speaking Tuscan today. For hundreds and hundreds of years the Venetian language ( now regarded as a dialect ) was the common language of trade in the Mediterranean. It was called "the lingua franca" by the Arabs and Turks. The same applies to the dialect of Genoa.

[@lucianomezzetta4332]

@@Nissardpertugiu Read Dante on the origins of the Romance languages. Much of what you say, especially about Corsican, is wrong. Corsican is mainly from the language of Genoa. When you say regional languages derived from Italian you are wrong. ALL the dialects and languages of Italy mainly derived from, SURPRISE!, Latin. The notion of an Italian language is a modern idea.

[@Nissardpertugiu]

@@lucianomezzetta4332 Genoa arrived after Corsican was developped already. Before Genoa, it was under Pisa. There's elements of Zeneise in certain parts of the language, but its not coming from it as whole. The only Corsican languages that are sharing a ligurian origin mixed and quite pure are essentially 3 places : Calvi, Ajacciu, Bonifaziu. In the north, the influence of zeneise is also in palatisation of S. Bastia, Biera di Castagna which is prononced " Bashtia, Cashtagna, ". The rest grammaticaly is more close to medieval tuscan, sardinian and popular latin within some strong similarities with the mezzo giorno as Sicilian, Calabrese etc... For example, though its written Bellu, or Dopu, the LL became at the voice DD and P in that case B sounding. Its tipically something from african romance phenomen. The husband of my great aunt was Corsican, the wife of one of my uncle is Corsican on my mom side and on my dad side i have some aunts and cusins from Furiani and Ajacciu. To see my grandma i was once again there few weeks ago just to say. I go there since im 3 months old. I know Valle Calle, isole Lavezzi, Pietrosella ec... But a little example : Bonghjurno a tuti sò a Cardu cù la bella chjesa. Its Corsu. In Zeneise its more : Bungiurnu a tüti mi sun a Cardu cun la bella geixa .( X : j flatter sound, like Catalan or Galician and Portoghese ) Beside the primitive U latin, and the italic nature of it, its not the same. Now in italian : Buongiorno, sono a Cardo con la bella chiesa More familiar isn't it ? In Corsican we say Piazza like in italian, in Genovese its Ciassa, and so on. sò più in Corsican , mi sun ciù in Genovese. Its not the same languages though they share few influences due to the romance connexion and the domination of Zena on Corsica, in a global way. And i never said it derived from italian, i wrote " none of thoses derives ".

[@Nissardpertugiu]

@@lucianomezzetta4332 Not true, too bad , im from the city of Garibaldi, within on my mom's side a direct connection to the valle Cuneese, which i know very well too. That's the secret weapon in that conversation. The regional entity's strong, yes, with even more then regional languages daily talked, we had a very strong and old litterature in vernacular, but the use of the Dante's tongue was already interacting in 1300 here with our local language and was used more and more particulary after 1388. In 1561 to 1871, it was the official language, the public acts, the church things, and administration and also paralel to the vernacular, a shitload of litterature, was written in ...Italian, opera, theatres, news papers also. In Corsica it was the same, even before us, the official language, used in administration and high litterature, was italian too. In Piemonte it was too, though the Casa Sabauda talked different languages, in northern Piemont, with french etc .. But underneath it was all italian and vernaculars. The notion of italian language isn't that new.

[@Shanester66]

Hi. I have recently come across your channel. This was a very interesting video. I am part Sicilian (30%) but grew up in a very Sicilian house, neighborhood and community in northern NJ. Im a bit older than you (57). Living in GA now, there are so few Italian Americans compared to home and it's made me have such an appreciation for how I came up. Being not 100% Sicilian and bi racial as well, growing up in that environment was not always easy for me but, I was a pretty tough kid and respect was quickly achieved. lol It is what it is. lol Looking forward to viewing more of your vids. Ciao.

[@nytn]

I do miss the NY experience, I live in Tennessee now and not many southern Italians here

[@Nissardpertugiu]

A lot of italians identify by their regional cultural specifics. But im native nizzardo from a south piemontese family. I have a lot of old nizzardi books, and even from guys from others kingdoms like this book " Herculano battaglia della lingua italiana ". Its 1545, and it was written as others stuff from nizzardi themselves, that " Nizza una città d'italia ". Its the same before and after in 17th, 18th and 19th even before unification. Nizzardi identified as part of italy and italian as geographic and cultural ensemble within that peninsula.. But great nizzardi of the past felt Nissard first too. There 's a lot of italian great litterature ( used since 1300, official since 1561-1871 ) in italian made by Nissart , but the litterature in vernaculaer was as rich. From 1075 with the religious men ans lords, , to the " trobador ", mathematicians, musicians, poetry, you name it. And especially by 17th -19th the poetry in Vernacular was as huge and shared the same place than in italian etc... Giuseppe Garibaldi was Nissard ( Nissart the rt was a contraction over the years that made rd sound rt ), Enrico Sappia , diisciple of Mazzini , was Nissard, known in southern italy as italian teacher and writer under the.E.Simone Serpentini name ( he was researched after trying to kill Ferninand II in 1848 , beign underage, send by Mazzini, but volontary ) . Gian carolo Passeroni was Nissard, from the Cuntea. Giuseppe Bres was too, Francesco Barberis also from Sospello. Giulio Torrini and Andrioli and Fulconis as Pellos / Pellozi were more on the Tinea aera. Giovanni Badat was a chronicles man and poet who reviewed some events of the 1543 war against the Franco turkish , while writing some stuff in the Genoese float. Thoses events is where the figure Catarina Segurana became an heroin. Santa Reparata, which' s body went here, is one of the guardian of Nizza as it is for Firenze. Some prestigious nobility but also writer, poetry, such Lascaris family. Very old in Nizza / Nissa, they were counts of Ventimiglia and Briga too. Giuseppe Andrea, also co director of the local news papers, resistant to the french " Il Nizzardo ", in Italian language and Nizzardo. There re others, older, from the same time, such Il Pensiero Di Nizza, La Voce di Nizza... I mention that maybe for others italian to remember some things because with annexion and attempt of acculturation for 100 years and bit less than haklf, esoecially today they don't make the connection. So to say that maybe not everywhere but before the unification and annexion some italian regions identified as italian in what ive mentionned, maybe not in the modern sense. To make clear that the " italianity " as geographic and cultural ensemble within is not from 1860/61, but from the antiquity. Pasqual Paoli, father of the Corsican nation said in 1760 that " Siamo Corsi di cuore ma per nostri costumi, nostri tradizione e lingua siamo italiani ". Anyway, Nice video, very interesting points and enjoyable .

[@nytn]

What a wonderful addition to the video, thank you!

[@lucianomezzetta4332]

Bravo! I am an Ligurian. It is refreshing to read someone who knows even arcane Italian history and knows that Nice was once part of Italy. Belin!

[@Nissardpertugiu]

@@nytn thank you very much.

[@Nissardpertugiu]

@@lucianomezzetta4332 Great also to see others ligurian remember this though it wasn't that long ago. Sometimes some genovesi snobs are like that because we re under occupation that we didn't have anything in common in ancient roots. Kind of snobism i though more torinese than so close. I talk italian too, not as good as my mom haha but i talk and write the old Nissard, until 1931 kind of, before the mutilation in the sense of french annexion of thoses clowns " del' oltre varo e loro croce di tolosa " they throw everywhere on the coast to catalogna . Posso capire cuneese, ligure e catalano via questo. In maggiore parte.

[@rivobravo]

I am in Canada for over 40 years, before that I was in other countries. Even though I consider myself fully integrated in the mainstream, still preserve my heritage and feel proud of. I took my classic studies in Italy, Veneto region, in the sixties and find them still rewarding despite we live in high tech times, marvel how the texts are still unsurpassed today, at least from my view. Anyone interested in the Italian culture should learn the language first, the step is necessary to go back to origins. Italian diaspora is not limited to USA but it is widespread in other countries and spans for lengthy period of time.

[@franz9573]

There are more people of Italian descent in Brazil (30 million 15 % of the total population) and Argentina (25 million, 60 % of the total population) than in the USA (approx. 20 million, 6 % of the total population).In Uruguay, 40% of the population is of Italian descent. Paraguay approx. 30 % (from southern Brazil towards Paraguay, not directly emigrated to Paraguay). In Europe, it is France (5 million with italian roots). About twice as many people of Italian descent live outside Italy than Italy itself has inhabitants

[@pauletteyoung112]

There is a Garibaldi Meucci Museum on Staten Island (NY).

[@patriceesela5000]

Fascinating discussion indeed, I had no idea about so many things regarding Italian American culture. A real eye opener...thanks for sharing

[@nytn]

So glad!

[@xenani]

The problem is that the vision that people have in the USA is of a stereotyped Italy from the beggining of the XX century that no longer exists. Italy is a modern country that doesn't like being depicted as a rural, mafia country. The idea of the Italian family gathered eating pasta under a wine tree, like they are depicted in the movies is also hated by modern Italians

[@David-mz8xk]

What part are you from?

[@JK-vc7ie]

That's it 100%. The images and ideas that many Italian Americans have in their head are not aligned with reality. That "place" that you imagine doesn't exist anymore if it ever did.

[@David-mz8xk]

How would you if given the choice want your country to be seen?

[@xenani]

@@David-mz8xk Sicily

[@xenani]

@@David-mz8xk a modern country just like any other one

[@johnaloe6442]

I’m an Italian Australian. Both parents are from Calabria Italy. It all depends on how you define “an Italian”. I consider myself an Italian but born in Australia. So to my Australian English & Irish Australian friends. Even though I was not born in Italy I still identify as an Italian & will do so till my dying day. My non Italian friends also consider me to be an Italian. It all depends on how you feel. I don’t care what an Italian born Italian feels period. When I went back to Italy especially Calabria & also Naples & Sicily the people would look At me & considered me Italian period & made me feel very much a part of their people. So to my Venetian friends. But I suppose unlike our American Italian paisanos we still spoke Italian at home & to an extent I am moderately fluent in Italian & my Calabrian dialect. My DNA results show that I am 89% Italian from the region between southern Tuscany & Calabria. It’s a cosmopolitan world we live in. Why would anyone have a problem with someone being an Italian but born in Australia or America or Argentina for that matter. If they feel Italian they are Italian. I totally disagree with what the Doctor states. He is very unenlightened about how we American Australian & Argentinian Italians feel.

[@TiemposDePaz]

I spent a summer in Italy a couple years ago, and dated in the North, and the South. One guy was very opinionated about Italian American culture - he said, they are not Italian, they are Americans! Well true. Trying to find Italian dishes I grew up with in Jersey is almost impossible in Italy. I think the bias also comes for where most American Italians come from - Southern Italy. My friend in Rome warned me when I was going to Naples. Its another country down there. Under his breath, he said, It's like going to Africa (not that I'd have a problem with Africa, but I was stunned he would say that. And this sentiment was really a long standing division between the regions. I went to Naples, and yes, it did stress me out, but I was glad I went. Yes, the taxi guy got me for a 50 euro ride and refused to use his meter. Yes, I thought it had areas rougher than the Bronx. But I finally realized this was the area that most connected me to Jersey. So I know that my friend was being a snob - a lot of Italians get snobbish about the south, but I think their ability to not connect with American Italians has to do wih this same sentiment about the south. Just and observation, not always a fact.

[@kelliott7864]

I think you're right.

[@lobstermash]

It is possible that the attitude of many northern Italians towards the south, particularly Sicily, is partly affected by the dreadful effect that the mafia has had on Italy. The mafia is Sicilian in origin.

[@hotlanta35]

He was right if you are born in America you are American

[@matthews4976]

Yes, when i was in Naples some areas reminded me of how certain neighborhoods in Brooklyn in the 90s with Italian immigrants. The way they dress, the men at the OTBs next to the Cafe (bar), their general attitude. Didn't feel that anywhere else in Italy.

[@italico3222]

@@matthews4976you have never been to Naples, I am Neapolitan, what you wrote is not true

[@ronpulcer2511]

Thank you Danielle for this great conversation. My mother was born in Tuscany and her family came to USA after WW2. My grandfather had cousins that moved to France. My grandmother had a cousin that moved to Canada. I was fortunate to visit my mother's village, which has a Medieval tower and church where my grandparents were married and my mother and siblings were baptized. We were able to meet some of my mother's cousins. The homes where my grandparents grew up in are still occupied by relatives. In contrast the home where my immigrant relatives lived in Detroit is no longer standing. The family homes in Tuscany have 18 inch thick stone walls. My Mom's cousin gutted inside of home in Tuscany and remodeled / modernized. But my aunts said from the outside house still looks the same. They arranged a tour for us to climb the tower and enter church. I greeted the retired gentleman who was our tour guide with "Buon Giorno". He replied with "Hello". He said he learned English while a POW in WW2. He was born in Italy. His father was born in New York. His grandfather left Italy and went to California for gold rush in mid 1800s. When I told him who my mother was he said he remembered the day my grandfather and uncle left for America after WW2. It was an amazing chance meeting! My mother's cousins arranged for us to get a tour guide for nearby Lucca. After we visited a couple of churches that were bombed in WW2 and were almost fully restored after almost 60 years, we went to nearby piazza. We noticed young people protesting. Our tour guide asked a police officer what they were protesting. The were protesting that USA had just declared war on Afghanistan. This was in Fall of 2001. These people seemed to remember their history generations later. My relatives the day before were teasing us, calling us "Americanos". I'm looking forward to going back to Tuscany in 2025.

[@JohnSmith-dt2yb]

Also an Italian American wouldn’t dare upload a video with such terrible a quality of audio as this video.it’s actually unbearable to listen to.

[@italianamericanrenaissance7957]

Very interesting around 20-21 minutes in and its so true, that Italian American culture is really southern Italian American culture. My mom's side is largely southern Italian with one ancestor from the north and my dad is half northern Italian. But his mom migrated from Friuli to Toronto, and then my parents met in Buffalo. I grew up seeing my family in Canada, speaking Friulan dialect and carrying on Italian customs but it was with my mom's more Americanized family that I felt this very Italian feeling, perhaps due to the fact I was closer with them but also perhaps due to the "cultural warmth" so to speak of southern Italian culture.

[@thomassaba1943]

Luca made very valid points. It was a way of survival to Americanize once our ancestors arrived here. It sucks over the generations, the culture got passed down very very little, but its great people are investing more into getting those roots back, especially now that it is okay to represent a culture from outside America. We do have Abruzzese here in NJ, especially in the northern counties, but I don't know which ones have those hotels and money haha.

[@iworkharvey4103]

Another great interview❗️A home run 🏟️Thanks for sharing your thoughts and these stories with us

[@davidtrujillo993]

The politics of nationality and blood is not unique to Italy, and it makes perfect sense. Same for Spain, if you are Hispanic and live two years in Spain, you get nationality; if you are Puerto Rican and prove your ancestors were born in Puerto Rico before 1898 (Before the American Civil War), you can also get nationality. In the Czech Republic, if one of your parents is Czech, you must demonstrate language knowledge, but you get nationality fairly quickly.

[@Doge811]

It is not controversial in Italy he extremely exaggerated it is controversial only for some leftist and some immigrants that point out the difference. The left basically belive Italian ethnicity doesn't exists and some went as far as saying Italian culture doesn't exists. The left is likely to say Italian Americans are just Americans point and completely deny any heritage they might have, because this is in direct opposition with their ideology.

[@lucianomezzetta4332]

The American Civil War ended in 1965. Puerto Rico became a colony of America in 1898.

[@e.urbach7780]

@@lucianomezzetta4332 The American Civil War ended in 1865.

[@susancapotelamb3936]

@@lucianomezzetta4332The American Civil War ended in 1865, not 1965.

[@MoeHamHead-bx7og]

@@susancapotelamb3936 Actually it never really ended.

[@jqa16]

I'm not Italian. I'm Filipino Japanese with my Filipino side being majority european(Spanish, German). Me visiting relatives from European side in Germany was a very cold experience compared to to me reuniting with Filipino relatives. They don't even consider you German nor think twice you're related to them. The discrimination and disparity was insane that I'm glad I have my Asian side.

[@_marcobaez]

Germans are cold in general bro, but they have good hearts, I would give them a second chance

[@pwp8737]

Not of Italian background here, live in San Francisco; most people here in the city are aware of Giannini and BoA origins. North Beach has a vibrant Italian culture with great restaurants, bakeries and delis. The city takes pride in its European flair and cosmopolitanism.

[@markusantonio4866]

Columbus Blvd.?

[@pwp8737]

@@markusantonio4866 Columbus Avenue runs through the heart of Little Italy in North Beach

[@josefinborg3069]

Luigi Barzini a former Senator of , Italy wrote a splendid book ‘ The Italians’, all about prominent Italians , Italian culture and life,and l consider his writings important for descendants of Italian families abroad, my maternal great grandmother from the north and my paternal grand mother from the South of Italy. Because of historical upheavals in Europe, Italians migrated to every where taking their culture , their beliefs,their favourite food,and traditional banking ,fashions,jewelry,art etc.The stifling culture of stacking persons into different colours of skin is not typical of Europeans , it is considered as bad manners,and intolerance;” scura son ma bella o figlie di Gerusalemme,” from the canticle of canticles of Solomon…..‘ perche’ mi fece scambiare di colore il sole.’ a title written under the dark statue of the Madonna of Tindari. Europeans appreciate each person as essentially having dignity; this is Undebateable.

[@corneliuswhite5139]

When I was studying Italian for opera, I wished we could have received at least a semester of Italian history.

[@nytn]

I wish I had taken it!

[@lucianomezzetta4332]

Take a course in it. It exists in colleges that are serious.

[@clelia7820]

It is difficult to sing something composed by Verdi without knowing, for example, that most of those operas were written to encourage the revolution and the unification of Italy.

[@m.s9146]

As a mixed race black lady, I’ve had an Italian born hairdresser for over 20 years. She also has curly hair and has kept my hair looking wonderful for years. Never once in 20 years did I feel uncomfortable in her salon.

[@nytn]

give me her number, JK! I relax my hair because people have butchered my curly hair LOL. :(

[@chenzenzo]

In Italy, nobody cares to much about your race. It's who you are. Italy is not so big. I lived in Italy in the 80's and 90's and this was Napuli and Sicilia. As American Italians, we so often forget that we are immigrants. We came to America earlier than many groups of people, but after a hundred years we easily forget that we're Latin. Americans will look you in your eyes and see you as someone who's dangerous. Italians will see you as an Italian American and a wildcard. They prefer Americans to start the conversation. I'm 41. The language I speak is from 1989 in the south. A woman from Rome came to my work and was surprised that I speak Italian, but she almost immediately made fun of me because of my southern accent.

[@Roberto-de8xv]

"In Italy, nobody cares too much about your race"..yeah bullshit 😅

[@nukekidontheblock8349]

Italy is prolly the only racist place on earth, and not only towards africans The warm thing is between us

[@bonniegropper]

I remember when I was still living in N.Y.C (in the late 90s) I got a long distance phone call from Italy from someone who had my last name which was Tozzi and he told me that we were probably related and I told him to please contact me if he was coming to New York and I was so excited and was hoping to have him meet our family. When 9/11 happened my husband made the decision to move to Central F.L with our children,sadly I never got to hear from my Italian relative.This is so interesting.

[@jgillott]

Great video,however nothing I haven't known since I have lived it as an Italian American. And had the stories from my father, grandparents, aunts and uncles. However, I felt a little squeamish about his (and I don't totally disagree with him) thoughts on the Juris Sanguinis process for Italian citizenship. First of all, you can't get, as he says, Italian citizenship in a snap. I started the process two years ago through a specialized Italian law firm. I've been living in my ancestral home in Calabria on and off for a year, and am still waiting for citizenship. Also he stated incorrectly, through this process, you don't have to go to your ancestral home. You can get the citizenship through applying to the Italian consulate in your country, or become a resident of any community in Italy. But I see many Chinese, Africans, and Pakistanis and other immigrants here that have to go through nationalization schooling to get citizenship. That includes learning the language, history and the civics of the country. And I don't have to do any of that.

[@urpreposterous682]

If the 1st male Italian that immigrated to America didn't obtain naturalization before the sons or daughters were born, they have no problem obtaining Italian citizenship. My example is my maternal great-grandfather. He didn't become a citizen because he died in the coal mines. My grandmother was born in Sicily. My grandfather was born in Sicily. I cannot obtain citizenship because my grandfather obtained naturalization before my mother was born. Now my mother's oldest brother was born while my grandfather was he was still an Italian citizen. So his children and grandchildren can obtain Italian citizenship. I don't think it's fair, but what can I do. I can move to Italy for 2 years & learn the language. I will become an Italian citizen, which is much easier because I have Italian blood in me. I was so disappointed I couldn't obtain my Italian citizenship, but the cousins that don't give a damn about their ancestors & heritage could with no problems.

[@jgillott]

My father naturalized only a few months after I was born - so I just barely made the cut. @@urpreposterous682

[@SandrayCarlitos]

This was a great topic! We need to send him a better microphone. Though I found myself thinking about my own experiences and lesson as an American McGuinea. I grew up with a lot of this history from my Dad. (Half Irish Half Greco-Calabrese) The stories of the Days of Catholics and Dogs, pasta and pizza, the words paisanu, wasp, and there meaning. A taste of Ancient Roman History through being raised Catholic in the US outside the Federal Capital(New Rome). But I also grew up surrounded by this new wave of Latin immigration, mostly centrali e surdamericani, a Mexican or to here and there. I found myself forced to learn Spanish, they treated me like I was already one of theirs. I came out with the mediterranean glow, not like some pasty Irishman as my surname would suggest. I ended up learning Spanish, but I was a bit pissy about it at first. I thought if l had to learn a form of latin, than I should learn one that better represents the latin in my own blood. So I studied Sicilian alongside studying Spanish and tried to inter-weave it into my Spanish. Now I actively encourage my fellow guineas to Learn spanish and use them to re-capture some more of what we've lost to waspification. I love them for it as now I feel more connected to my italian and grecian side in manner and custom, thought and form. and I don't speak a lick of tuscan or grecian. All I did was spend too much time with the hispanos and became fluent in Spanish. (Though I exclusively say grazii u molti grazii) But in turn the mediterranean in my soul has become re-invigorated!

[@Flametree1492]

Thank you again for your videos, always very important information, knowledge is king! Thank you for mentioning that the country of Italy is a very young country. I know that the "Italian" peninsula was made up of many smaller countries/provenances? You mentioned that many of southern European do not know alot about their history? I think that's so true for so many ethnicities. Now, I'm a New Yorker by birth, East Harlem, I have an "Italian" sur name, but it is also an Iberian name, I wondered for so long why this was. When I started DNA testing, I was inspired to study more, that's when I learned that the Spanish empire had conquered and controlled southern Italy and Sicily for over a hundred years? What do you know about that? Ive learned through my studies that my fathers people have roots in north America going back to 1620, i found a birth registration. I am native american from my mothers side so basically I'm an "American American"! But inspite of my history/ancestry anglos, and other European americans seem to think im a foreigner in my own land!

[@nytn]

Hey to a fellow NYer :)

[@geoffoakland]

You should see the welcome Sylvestre Stalone and his whole family received when they visited the small town where Sylvestre's grandparents were from. Really beautiful in fact.

[@robertwaguespack9414]

I was watching Italian videographers about 15 - 20 years ago. That summer people were calling in. Someone from USA called in. You could see the disdain on their faces while he was inviting them to his 4th of July feast.

[@dominicbriganti5710]

They hate italoamericans.

[@GinaSicilia]

While this perspective of not identifying as Italian applies to late 19th and early 20th century Italian immigrants, there are plenty of people who emigrated to America in the 50s, 60’s, 70s+ (like my father) who very much did and still do identify as Italians. There are Italian-Americans who are in touch with modern culture, language, music, etc…and still have family living in the country :)

[@Myperfectshell]

I am Italian Canadian and I think that it’s actually the people in Italy who have lost something that we managed to retain. My parents generation came here in the 60s & 70s; they are like relics. Italy progressed and became modernized but the older community here did not, and that is still reflected in the younger generation. It’s something very special.

[@matteotortorici]

Same. I'm in Canada also and we say the same thing. My grandparents and parents left Italy and they maintained their Italian culture. They never integrated into Canadian or North America culture. Most immigrants here never learned the language. From my perspective Italians in Italy have Americanized somewhat.

[@Midnight-Expresso]

@@matteotortorici Are you, both of you, from Montreal ?

[@allpissedup229]

I think that's a very presumptous and dismissive way of thinking about us Italians. And I can tell you it's just wrong.

[@cesco7]

I'm sorry, but this is wrong. As explained in the video, low social class italians from rural areas, mainly coming from the south, never really represented the reality of Italy and it's population.

[@Myperfectshell]

@@cesco7 To say this (non-homogenous!!!) group somehow does not represent Italy or Italian culture is blatantly elitist. During my father’s youth almost 50% of the population was considered rural, and even more than that in south/south central. I appreciate the point being there are a lot of American stereotypes about Italian people that are unfair and really only apply to lower classes which we came to know as “Italian”. But to say the older members of my family do not get to be part of what it means to be Italian or represent a fundamental part of what Italian culture represents due to their upbringing and generation is an incredibly bizarre thing to say. Of course the region you’re from has some impact…but you can belong to more than one group at once. For instance I have worked with many people from the Middle East and I see the cultural similarities between that region and southern Italy whereas in the North you see similarities with Central Europe etc As for the comment about me being presumptuous…look, this is not particular to Italy nor Italian immigrants. Even in the past 20 years the cultures world over have become vastly more integrated with each other. Two people from different cultures in Europe would have a lot more in common these days than they did a while back. I think immigrants the world over keep something that they may not have had they stayed put. That’s really all I meant. I have been to Italy several times and I love it. I know Italians from different generations living there and in some ways, no matter their age, class, or region, they are still “Italian” in the same way as my immigrant relatives! In other ways, not. I am not from Montreal.

[@collagen1738]

i'm from New Jersey, thought Indian-American. Italian-Americans have contributed much of what NJ is known for. It was cool to see the history and the background that led to this. Thanks

[@belgravia85]

Americans generally struggle to understand that being Italian (or most European nationalities, for that matter) is not a matter of genetics but of culture. Having a certain surname or an ancestor from a certain country means very little, if your cultural milieu and upbringing has nothing to do with that of the land of your forefathers. Language, in particular, is a defining factor in Europe, where nation states often formed around one linguistic area.

[@Abcdefg-tf7cu]

"Having a certain surname or an ancestor from a certain country means very little" lmfao that's so obviously not true. I can think of more than a few examples from the 20th century that prove you wrong. Why are Europeans so angry at their own diaspora? Vietnamese people don't have this kind of hate for Vietnamese Americans.

[@_marcobaez]

@@Abcdefg-tf7cu Nope he couldn't explain it better. If say you were in the army, trained as a special forces ranger, fought two years in a war, and then some guy gets chosen to join you with no training or experience simply because their dad is a general, would you happily call them a fellow equal ranger? Same thing with culture. Why would I (if Italian) accept you if you don't speak my language, learned the things I grew up with, speak my slang, know my inside jokes, like my music, like the same famous people, lived childhood in my country, have my values and mindset, my worldview, how Italians see the world and have no idea about my way of life and my friends? To me, you are a complete stranger that talks, speaks, acts, and even walks funny that is nothing like me.

[@Abcdefg-tf7cu]

@@_marcobaez "Being Italian is like volunteering to be trained by the military." You Europeans are so unbekiavably arrogant AND ignorant. It's really astonishing how you think you are superior to the rest of the world, to the point that you think just being European is the same thing as training to be a Navy SEAL. Astounding. You are the biggest simpletons in the world.

[@Abcdefg-tf7cu]

@@_marcobaez Also, nope. You Europeans were putting people in has chambers based exclsuively on their surname less than 100 years ago. You Europeans consider someone's surname so important that you have comitted multiple genocides because of it. It is genuinaly astonishing jyst how arrogant you people are.

[@Abcdefg-tf7cu]

@@_marcobaez "would you ahppily call that person a fellow ranger" Yup. It's just not ohysically possible for someone to become a ranger without going through the proper training first, so would. Your analogy makes zero sense, because there are exactly zero similarities between having Italian heritage and volunteering to be trained as a ranger. The objective fact is that Italian Americans are Italian. That's why the Italian government gives us citizenship based soleely on how Italian we are.

[@LillianSteele-u9v]

And I do not wish for you to ever forget your heritage because I am still learning about my dual heritage as well.

[@firstchoice7761]

Americans should forget their roots. I believe that is why there is so much racism in this country. We are all Americans. People from other countries consider us Americans, period. I lived in Europe for years and have known many ex-pats, and they think of all of us as Americans. Of course, if you can, you should keep speaking your ancestors' language if you know it. In the rest of the world, most people speak at least two languages.

[@gazoontight]

Fascinating. Please continue to make videos.

[@nytn]

I appreciated this!

[@CarolynEHS]

I'm just getting to watch this. How very interesting!! I learned so much. Thank you and the professor for the great information!!

[@lynnhooley7608]

Wow, this is your best show ever. The only thing I would add every first gen. that I have ever met. Never says I'm from Italy. They always say I'm a Napoletano or I'm from Umbria.

[@nytn]

Thank you so much! Going to have him back on for sure

[@italico3222]

@@nytnThere are too many Americans with prejudices towards the south of Italy... not knowing the south of Italy

[@italico3222]

@@nytnAmericans see too many films, we Neapolitans are not the sopranos

[@LuomoTigre-sf8hz]

not all Italians consider Italian Americans as definitively non-Italians. those are usually Italians who have no relatives who are Italian - (etc) American or from other countries. I have Italian American relatives and they are generally considered "American" in the "here's the American" sense...but they are also seen as Italian in some way. Generally in Italy most Italians grew up with Italian American films such as Al Pacino, Stallone, Coppola, Scorsese etc. and we are generally proud of their great success

[@JaneAtwellRobinson1825NY]

Hey did you know that the politician Al Smith was really a "Ferraro" and an Italian-American? True story. Lots of politicians and celebs tend to change or shorten their names so that they can be more electable or famous. Now that you're on this aspect of things... do one about "What Africans think about African-Americans" lol... I got an earful about that one from an African college student one time, stuff I was not expecting to hear... yep.

[@nytn]

well if that video doesn't get me kicked off of KZbin, Id love to do it. I probably will try anyway.

[@JaneAtwellRobinson1825NY]

@@nytn 🤣

[@rroadmap]

It has been my experience that educated Blacks who are from Africa or the Carribean despise the African American culture.

[@tarajoyce3598]

Would love to see this type comparison for every nationality. Not Italian but thoroughly enjoyed this!

[@nytn]

that’s a wonderful idea!

[@chiaroscuro3223]

What he said about Italian-Americans obtaining Italian citizenship isn't entirely true. The Italian law is that if you have a grandfather who was born in Italy WHO DID NOT BECOME A CITIZEN OF THE US before your parent was born, then you can fairly easily obtain Italian citizenship. Otherwise, if you are an American who has 2 grandparents who were born in Italy, then you can get Italian citizenship after you live in Italy for 2 years. I would also hope that the only reason that Italy has these laws is because they recognize Italian blood and heritage, not so that the money Italian-Americans have is brought back to Italy.

[@Doge811]

I don't think Italian Americans bring back a lot of money in reality. Anyway what you say is really the problem that some leftist or immigrants have the Italian people overwhelming either don't know or don't care. It is not extremely controversial if not in the mind of some leftist. And they do that exclusively for ideological reasons: the left in Italy doesn't want to acknowledge heritage or ethnicity to them, they don't even believe Italian ethnicity exists and some went as far as saying Italian culture doesn't exists and they basically belive Italian Americans are just Americans point with very little or nothing in common with italy.

[@lucianomezzetta4332]

If you have a parent who was born in Italy and you were born after 1948 you can be an Italian citizen without having to live in Italy for two years.

[@gypsy1588]

Fascinating interview I learned so much.

[@nytn]

I did too!

[@jcortese3300]

I'm interested in this video, but I'll be honest -- I'm not sure if I'm going to watch it. The contempt I've found from Italians is pretty powerful, and as much as I want to get over this chasm with our Italian siblings and cousins because the US's culture sure doesn't provide us with a healthy sense of self, I don't know how much more contempt I want to put up with.

[@nytn]

He’s a great guy! :) I hope you’ll give him a chance. He loves studying Italian America culture

[@Mendozamosca]

Very interesting and honest Cortese. Contempt is the key word. Let me add that that occurs with every culture. First generation born in the USA is seen as half, at least. They are also seen as fakes and traitors. They are discriminated against in both, old and new countries... as if they had a choice. Subsequent generations are just dismissed. I have been witness of such contempt first hand working in a hospital. We had this Italian patient who did not speak English. My Italian-American co worker tried to translate, but the Italian patient dismissed her saying that her Italian was substandard. I am Mexican and hated that patient for being such a bitch to my coworker who only tried to help.

[@jcortese3300]

@@Mendozamosca Agreed. And it's not like we willfully disconnected ourselves from Italian culture and the Italian language. The US government all but banned Italian immigrants in the 1920s, so we got cut off from that part of our heritage. And to be honest, most of our ancestors were southerners who were made to feel ashamed of what they were in Italy, too. That's another part of why they wanted their kids to speak only English. They'd been neglected and called terroni for being southern and speaking Napoletan in Italy, so they went somewhere they hoped might be better. On the whole it is, but it's not perfect. My mom used to say that she was called "Italian" her whole life despite being born in the US, and that if she wanted to be called American, she'd have had to go to Italy. 😕

[@jcortese3300]

@@nytn Once again, I discover that I can trust you above pretty much any other person talking about this topic. There are many interesting things in this interview -- one that jumped out at me is how strongly Italian immigrants identified with their region or comune. That's one of the things I used to discover the town where my grandpop's parents came from, and again and again I return to it to do genealogical research. I knew that even when they got to the US, the immigrants wanted to marry from their own comune, and that's how I found where that side of the family and my last name came from -- I searched on towns that produced both my great-grandfather AND my great-grandmother's last names. The town where those names intersected ended up being the correct town. After that, they married others from their region -- my grandparents on my mom's side were both Abruzzese. After that, it was that they had to be Italian. Then after that, they had to be catholic, and that's when we started intermarrying with Irish and Polish. Even my brothers both married half-Italian women. One of my cousins actually thought we were from the north because our shared grandfather used to say he was from the north. But he meant northern Abruzzi, not northern Italy! We're 100% southern.

[@Doge811]

It's an ideological problem for the leftist, they basically belive Italian ethnicity doesn't exists and some went as far as saying Italian culture doesn't exists too. By their reasoning if Italian ethnicity doesn't exists then italian American are just Americans. They do that to justify massive immigration. Also guy the avarage italian doesn't know anything about Italian Americans but not all people think like that at all. Ethnicity is a dirty word for them.

[@juniorchavesopicassodeyahu988]

Hi Danielle. First to all your hair is absolutely gorgeous. You are very beautiful too. Well, I adore your content. You covers a variety of topics

[@nytn]

Thank you so much!!

[@gummibrot4948]

The Italians have absolutely zero interest for Italian Americans. As a German, I can fully confirm this. Absolute indifference for Americans of German-speaking origin. No pride, no connection, more aversion to the effort to keep the roots linguistically or to find them culturally. Trump (President), Schwarzenegger (politician) or Nowitzki (basketball) are completely booked out in German memory. Italy does that too. Very amazing. But typically European. .Completely different from the Turks in Europe.

[@fabriziocoppola6519]

I do not think so mate.

[@gabrieleporcu1619]

@@fabriziocoppola6519no no, he is right in general terms, but there are always exceptions. I am Italian born and raised in Italy, with relatives in Pennsylvania and Florida: I know that they exist, but I have never looked for them, just as they have never looked for me and this has never displeased me and in fact has never interested me. They are Americans, period, across the ocean.

[@semprefidelis76]

As a Turkish (living in the U.S.) I’m not sure if I got your point. Did you mean to say that, Turks in Europe are fully attached to their culture in Turkey? Versus Italian- Americans as well as German-Americans feeling indifferent to their roots in Italy and Germany? If that’s the case, I think one main reason is, the main stream immigrants such as Germans and Italians immigrated to the U.S. 100+ years ago. Whereas Turks are relatively new in Germany with a 50 year history. Also, the U.S. has the melting pot concept. Whereas Germany belongs to Germans. So Turks feel that clash of societies. Not to mention that Turks who immigrated to Germany, most of them come from very conservatively religious cities in Central Turkey. Another point, Italians also immigrated to Germany in large numbers in 60’s. Most returned back home due to Italy really flourishing industrially. The ones who still live in Germany are also very connected to their homeland. I have been in the US 20 years myself. I went to Germany several times, it is the country I love the most, amazing how it is so green yet industrious at the same time. I’m also fascinated by the Turkish community, how they created a 2nd Turkey. I think it’s a matter of time for them to integrate more into society. The U.S. especially California is so much so more different than Europe in terms of fake people and lifestyle. I’d love to live in Germany. But due to “Turkish muslim stereotype I may face (even though I may be agnostic), I just would rather live here for now.

[@semprefidelis76]

Also, Italians in Italy have no interest in Italian Americans. But Italian Americans here..oh man…they act like they are so Italian that they were born in cappella sistina..but then they argue with me that baseball is a better game than ⚽️

[@gummibrot4948]

@@semprefidelis76 Well, even after 50 years of immigration, Mr. Erdogan is traveling to the Ruhr area to full stadiums full of German-Turks. (He doesn't speak a word of German) The Turks, third generation born in Germany, schooled and trained, cheer frenetically. They are his own Turks. Says Mr. Erdogan. Because he needs their votes. German-Turks cannot vote in Germany. The German passport is missing. They kept the Turkish one. Minorities excluded. They do their military service for Turkey and get their future wives from Turkey. German remains a poorly mastered foreign language, even in the third generation. After the evening with Mr. Erdogan, the German-Turks go home again to Cologne or Dortmund. In their Turkish neighborhoods. The Turkish flag on the shoulder. They speak Turkish to each other. The German state with its industry, infrastructure and social services enjoys great respect. They don't care about the Germans. A Turkish work colleague told me that the German-Turks are also hated in their Türkiye. The result of 50 years of integration.