The neighborhood of Little Italy was occupied by Italian immigrants since 1880. In this area settled mostly in Naples, Sicily and Calabria, the Italians of the North stood mostly in Greenwich Village (now Soho). This is because our ancestors tended to move into areas where they met other Italians to feel less distant from their own country.
In these streets, in addition to the emergence of activities with Italian charm, it spread very quickly even the Mafia import, that the American cinema has more than once masterfully described. We think a boss like John Gotti and Joey Gallo, who have maintained their shady dealings on the streets of Little Italy and organized the errors which clubs like Raven Social Club and Umberto's Clam House (where he was killed "Crazy Joey" Gallo), who were covered by these organizations.
Today the neighborhood has become a commercial and tourist attraction, because since the mid-twentieth century, Italian Americans have begun to move to other outlying suburbs and then the extension of Little Italy is shrinking. They are, in fact, a few Italians who still live in Little Italy. The neighborhood is bordered by Chinatown, which has absorbed a large part of what was Little Italy. The northern part, near Houston Street is, has lost its traditional Italian. The part of the Mulberry Steet, along which shops are typically Italian, is what remains of the old Little Italy. In New York there are other Little Italy: Italian Harlen Harlen East, the Bronx has its Little Italy along Arthur Avenue, Brooklyn, where there is a real neighborhood Italian-American Bensonhurst . We find a high percentage of Italians in Staten Island and large community can be traced also in Belmont, Carroll Gardens in the Bronx and Brooklyn (where Scorsese filmed the movie "Mean Street").
However, the Little Italy of the past is still the feast of San Gennaro. From 1926 September 12 to 26 are held through the streets of this neighborhood, the festivities in honor of the patron saint of Naples.
Little Italy during the feast of San Gennaro
Mulberry Street becomes a riot of colors and sounds from the first day of festivities, when the festival opens with a procession in honor of the saint.
Originally the festival was a religious commemoration, is now celebrating the relationship between Italians and Americans. For the occasion, not all immigrants and New York agree on the main street stalls adorned with decorations and Italian music, to immerse yourself in this feast of Italian and have fun with the Annual Cannoli Eating Contest, which rewards the competitor who can eat more cannoli in six minutes! At the same time the feast of San Gennaro in the Bronx also held a party for a period of eleven days.
Even if by now the children of immigrants are well integrated into the American social fabric, and these places remind these celebrations origins, traditions and customs that do not change even from miles and miles away in generations that are sometimes not ... "born in Italy, but Italy took her in his heart.
http://www.italiavostra.it/articolo.pho?Id=28 ; http://www.infoturisti.com/usa/NewYork/cosaVedere/littleItaly.aspx ; http: / / it.wikipedia.org / wiki / Festa_di_San_Gennaro
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