essay

Small business and social mobility among Italian Americans

their languages, literature, and lives: proceedings of the 20th annual conference of the american italian historical association, chicago, illinois, november 11-13, 1987 • Staten Island, New York • Published In 1990 • Pages: 201-214

By: Sanchirico, Andrew.

Abstract

This is a study of Italian-American small-business ownership and its role in social mobility. Although Italians were part of the mass migration of unskilled laborers during the1880s, by 1900 they were second only to Russian Jews in percentage of self-employed retailers. A third of the immigrants who stayed became self-employed by the end of their careers. The trend of self-employment continued into the next generation. Sanchirico attributes the demand for ethnic food and the importance of the family over the individual in influencing this trend. He also argues that it was an independent small business ethos which accounted for the successful attainment of professional occupations by second- and third-generation Italian-Americans.

HRAF PubDate

2000

Region

North America

Sub Region

Regional, Ethnic and Diaspora Cultures

Document Type

essay

Evaluation

Creator Type

Historian

Document Rating

4: Excellent Secondary Data

Analyst

Ian Skoggard ; 1999

Field Date

not specified

Coverage Date

1880-1965

Coverage Place

United States

Notes

Andrew Sanchirico

Includes bibliographical references (p. 212-214)

LCCN

90083301

LCSH

Italian Americans