The purpose of our collection is to provide those who seek to understand the heritage of the Italian New Yorker with a unique study of items that have thus far been overlooked. This collection is dedicated to the documentation of the 19th century Italian immigrant’s search for happiness and identity in New York City through a collection of musical scores and performance advertisements. These artifacts provide a rare view into the Italian immigrant’s pursuit of success during a time that was fraught by war and prejudice. We have arranged the collection in context of the Italian immigrant in his various forms:

 

• The Proud Italian

• The Outsider

• The American Hero

 

Our collection of musical ephemera is accompanied by audio recordings of the music that was performed in celebration of Italian culture and success. These recordings add a rich dimension to the research process, providing any who wishes to listen the opportunity to experience a piece of history through music. We hope our collection assists in understanding the cultural history of the Italian immigrant.