The Italian in America: The Progressive View, 1891-1914

A magazine which served as a significant clearinghouse for the thinking and programs of social and settlement workers throughout the United States during the early 20th century was Charities. The 39 selections, by nearly as many different authors, reprinted in this volume represent most of what appeared on immigration in general and Italian immigration in particular in Charities from 1891-1914. They document an important part of American history. Tomasi concludes, based on the articles in Charities, that the gulf separating the Italian immigrants from the American reformers was not bridged in the progressive era. Some of the reformers were aware of “how it feels to be a problem.” Others, arguing for a rapid wrenching of the immigrants from their traditional culture, merely caused alienation and social disorganization.