Through the histories of five Italian Southern California families, the IAMLA brings to life the struggles and successes of the region’s early Italian immigrants, a unique chapter of the Italian American diaspora. The first Italians arrived in Southern California in the early 1800s, when the region was part of Mexico. Linguistic similarities and the Catholic religion led the first Italians to face less prejudice in Los Angeles than their contemporaries elsewhere in the country. As farmers, fishermen, and vintners, Italian immigrants, with the skills and traditions imported from their homeland, helped shape California as agricultural and maritime giant.

Settlement analyzes the factors that motivated the massive Italian immigration of the late 19th and early 20th centuries (in 1907, 285,000 people left Italy; in 1913, a record 872,598 people emigrated) and the pull factors that led Italians to settle in Southern California. Los Angeles’ earliest “Little Italies” included the Plaza area and in San Pedro, Los Angeles’ historic waterfront, as well as present-day Chinatown and Lincoln Heights. Little evidence of these historic enclaves remains. The exhibition also explores A.P. Giannini, the founder of Bank of Italy, which became Bank of America, and Prohibition’s impact on the Italian American community.

The IAMLA is located in the Italian Hall, a building that symbolizes the Italian presence in Los Angeles. Built in 1908, the Italian Hall served as the community’s focal point for decades. Italian immigrants visited the Hall in search of employment, housing, and advice. Weddings, dances, and cultural celebrations took place at the Italian Hall. Located at one of the few free speech zones in Los Angeles, in the early 1900s, the Italian Hall hosted revolutionaries and union organizers. The building’s noteworthy visitors include Ricardo and Enrique Flores Magon and Emma Goldman. In 1953, during an era when hundreds of historic structures were being demolished, the State of California purchased the Italian Hall and several historic buildings in the area to create El Pueblo State Historic Park. The Italian community ceased using the building, and the building fell into severe disrepair. In the early 1990s, the Italian community launched a campaign to restore the Italian Hall. Approximately $1 million was raised to address the building’s most pressing deferred maintenance. After many setbacks, the IAMLA’s Foundation raised public and private funds to complete the restoration and develop exhibitions and programming.

The section illustrates the history of Italian discrimination in the United States. Like other minority groups, Italians faced prejudice and hostility in their struggle to achieve the American Dream. Derogatory terms, like guinea, WOP, and Dago were popular parts of the country’s vocabulary. Eugenicists declared that Italians were a sub-human race, the “missing link” between humans and apes. Because of their darker complexions, Italians were often not considered “white.” This was particularly dangerous in the American South, where Italians faced brutal violence, and in some areas, were semi-segregated. During World War II, while tens of thousands of Italian Americans served in the US army, many of their families were branded “enemy aliens.” They were arrested, sent to internment camps, forced to leave their homes, surrender property, and abide by curfews and travel restrictions.

This section reflects the complex relationship between the Italians and the media. Behind the camera, Italian immigrants played critical roles in Hollywood’s development. On screen, however, their portrayal was and remains predominantly negative.

Southern California, a region of unparalleled diversity, is home to over 570,000 Italian Americans, the nation’s fifth-largest Italian American population. This exhibition explores the contributions of Italian Americans to the region’s richly-varied cultural landscape, and cultural expressions of family and faith, the arts and cuisine, innovation, industry, education, and justice. Among the individuals profiled in the exhibit are Simon Rodia, the creator of the Watts Towers, author John Fante, musician Frank Zappa, and Frances Cabrini, the first United States citizen to be canonized a saint.