Italian Neighborhoods in Chicago
Brooke Pigneri
Nothing screams Italy more than an oven cooked pizza, a glass of red wine, and a ride on a gondola. Although we can’t all travel to Italy as often as we might like, Little Italy and the Heart of Chicago can satisfy any “Italian cravings” (besides the gondola ride). But, do these communities preserve the Italian culture that was set up by the immigrants?
Little Italy and the Heart of Italy serve as the main Italian neighborhoods for immigrants who migrated in the late 19th century. Joining other immigrant communities on the Near West side of Chicago, Little Italy became a strong ethnic community, especially in 1930 when it housed almost ten thousand foreign-born residents. Little Italy is mostly located on Taylor Street but extends from Ashland Avenue to Morgan Street. Various religious, historical, and appetizing aspects of Little Italy provide insight into the Italian culture established there.
In the Lower West Side of Chicago, on 24th and Oakley, the Heart of Italy historically consisted mostly of Northern Italian immigrants. Because this community preceded Little Italy, it used to be called the same moniker. This stretch contains over two-dozen deep-rooted restaurants, which, despite the resettlement of Italians, carries the legacy of the neighborhood.
This research is for a final project for a first-year seminar at Northwestern University that focuses on visual sociology in Chicago. This 10 week course was guided by Wendy Griswold’s (2013) Cultures and Societies in a Changing World and Douglas Harper’s (2012) Visual Sociology.
The reason I decided to study these two Italian neighborhoods is because I am 100% Italian. My grandparents and great grandparents traveled from Italy to migrate to various parts of the United States. Therefore, I am intrigued to learn about Italian immigrants in Chicago and their influence on the city today. Because I do not known a lot about the settlement of my ancestors, I could maybe get a better idea of what it was like for them through my research. Additionally, I love to see Italian influence in various locations in the United States and compare it not only with my own Italian culture but also with my observations of Italy when I have traveled there in the past. Additionally, I am Catholic and I want to tie this aspect of religion into the culture of these two neighborhoods.
My study of Little Italy and the Heart of Chicago may be important to my own self-identification as an Italian-American, but it is also valuable in terms of visual sociology. I have used both an explorative and ethnographic lens when conducting my fieldwork in order to understand how visual sociology works. Various tools such as collective representation, reflexivity, subcultures, etc. are concepts established and utilized by sociologists, including myself. Therefore, although I may not be a legit sociologist, by engaging with the literature of Harper and Griswold and conducting my own research, I feel that my fieldwork has somewhat contributed to the world of sociology.
HISTORY
Italians have a rich history in terms of their migration, family life, work, and resettlement in Chicago. In fact, in 1920 Chicago was the third-ranking city in the United States by the size of its Italian population. Later in 1970, the amount of Italian immigrants alone was well over two hundred thousand. By 2000, more than a half a million residents in Chicago had some type of Italian ancestry (Chicago Encyclopedia).
Italians migrated to Chicago, beginning in the 1850s, in search of work. These immigrants were mostly peasants and worked as merchants, vendors, and barbers. Also, Many were drawn to Chicago’s market for railroad workers (Chicago Encyclopedia). Compared with the conditions Italians faced in the “Old Country,” the opportunities Chicago offered to immigrants were tremendous. Furthermore, Italians never refused a job or overtime because it helped support their families. In fact, “pane e lavoro,” which is translated as bread and work, was their focus (Candeloro 1999:23). Some came to America temporarily to make money whereas others ended up staying and setting up new lives. Separation caused by emigration was very hard for these Italians. Dominic Candeloro sums up the relationship between work and family perfectly:
“For the early immigrants, family was everything. They left the family in Italy in order to save it… Family gave meaning and purpose to every sacrifice and to every step up the ladder of social mobility. And family solidarity was a key reason why Italian immigrants in Chicago were able to thrive” (Candeloro 1999:13).
For Italians, family extended beyond blood; they were very attached to their place of origin and so thus gathered in tenements and sustained exclusive networks. In fact, one observer noted that it was as if each street in Italian neighborhoods in Chicago was populated by Italians from the same town in Italy. Candeloro, again, does a beautiful job at allowing the readers to visualize the variety of Italian neighborhoods scattered throughout Chicago:
“Before 1950, Sicilians lived on the Near North Side, Riciglianesi in Chinatown, Baresi on the Near Northwest Side, Neapolitans and others resided on the Near West Side, Toscani in the Twenty-fourth and Oakley area, Marchegiani in Chicago Heights, and Modenesi in Highwood; folks from Ripacandida found in homes in Blue Island” (Candeloro 1999:31).
When Italian immigrants came to Chicago, they brought their own brand of Catholicism. In a way, their unique religion tended to clash with the already existing Irish-orientated hierarchy in Chicago. Eventually, the Scalabrini order gave direction to the Italian communities by building churches and schools in the Chicago area. This allowed them to meld the Italian culture with the Catholic faith and eventually the final product was a shared Chicago ethnic Catholicism. A big symbol of Italian faith in Chicago is the procession of saints in the Feste. This involves the colorful street processions that still occur today (Candeloro 1999).
World War I became a turning point for Italians in Chicago. Immigration was cut off due to new legislation and labor shortages began to erupt. Therefore, many Italians began to take on factory jobs and other similar occupations in order to keep food on the table. There was an increase of both Italian nationalism and American patriotism during the war. Despite this, discrimination towards Italians helped forge an ethnic consciousness for this group. In response, Italian Americans began to grow in their ethnic identification, which overlapped with the rise of Fascism in Italy. Therefore, many Italians in Chicago supported Mussolini. This passion for Fascism reached a peak in 1933 when Italo Balbo arrived with the Italian seaplanes (Chicago Encyclopedia).
Later, during WWII and the Great Depression, Italian Americans were focused on work and they were mostly blue-collar workers. A few rose to the middle class by participating mainly in construction and commerce in food and liquor merchandising. Some were involved in professional fields. Despite this, most Italians were poor, and during the Prohibition some engaged in bootlegging and gained illegal money. In fact, by the late nineteenth century, a stereotype of criminal and violence-orientated Italians became established around Chicago and other parts of the country. This was further reinforced by the actions of the Mafia and the Black Hand (Chicago Encyclopedia).
Despite the criminal stereotype, the well-known label of Italians being accomplished in the food business is something important to focus on. Italian immigrants were and still are major contributors to Chicago’s food business. In the beginning, Italians opened small shops and markets, which thrived through networks with other Italians who owned farms and transportation companies. By 1930, Italians practically already ran the food business as they owned hundreds of grocery stores, restaurants, pastry shops, bakeries, cafes, and pasta and cheese shops in Chicago’s Italian neighborhoods. Their influence spread throughout the city and soon enough, Italian food became the most popular ethnic cuisine in America. In fact, even today, Italian restaurants play a huge role in Chicago’s food scene (Chicago Encyclopedia).
Around 1970, many changes occurred in the Italian Chicago neighborhoods. Various urban renewal projects took place for public housing, highways, and in the case of Little Italy, for the making of University of Illinois’ Chicago campus. This caused many Italian families to move to western suburbs. Today, remnants of the neighborhoods remain, but lack not only the rich culture that used to exist but also the Italian families themselves (Chicago Encyclopedia).
Over the past 100 years, Americanization has taken place for the Italians in Chicago. Actions such as getting citizenship papers, serving in the U.S. military, engaging in politics, and participating in sports and entertainment careers has allowed Italians not only to become integrated but also to gain respect in America. Overall, most Italians in Chicago balance being integrated in American society with continuing their Italian heritage (Candeloro 1999).
FOCUS
The focus of my sociological research in Chicago is comparing and contrasting two major Italian neighborhoods: Little Italy and the Heart of Italy. The main aspects I am looking for in these neighborhoods are religion, history, cuisine, and famous sites. Because Italians are no longer residents of these neighborhoods, for the most part, I also compare the present culture to that of the past. Therefore, my ethnographic research is very history orientated. In fact, one question I hope to answer is whether Italian culture is still preserved through its remnants in the communities. I take a visual sociologist view as I mainly use photographs yet refrain from doing interviews; I do this because I not only want to take an outsider perspective but also I feel that people that live in these neighborhoods today are unable to tell me about its past history. My study is important because I feel that I successfully investigated the visual manifestation of Italian culture in Chicago.
DATA
The data I collected were photographs of various aspects of the present culture in these communities as well as my own observations. Therefore, my research is focused on the visual aspect of ethnography. I gathered my data on Saturday, February 14th in Little Italy and Sunday, February 15th in the Heart of Italy. Because I utilized a historical and comparative lens, I feel that my data is able to successfully support the claims I defined in my focus. If I were to visit another time, I would conduct interviews in order to gain more insight; but I feel that my visual documentation of the two neighborhoods was sufficient for my purposes.
LITTLE ITALY
HISTORY OF LITTLE ITALY
Today, Little Italy mostly consists of Taylor Street between Halsted Street on the east, Ashland Avenue on the west, Roosevelt Road on the south, and Van Buren Street on the north. Overall, this area is called the Near West side. This is where most of the remnants of Italian culture remain; but when Italian immigrants resided in this area, the neighborhood stretched beyond these borders. Taylor Street is extremely unique because it is the oldest continuously Italian neighborhood in the city. Little Italy is described as “one of Chicago’s oldest slums — not a ghetto but a street with deteriorating architecture while still harboring a strong feeling of community” (Catrambone and Shubart 2007:7).
Sicilians and Southern Italians were a large majority of those who resided in Little Italy. Many Italian traditions were common in Little Italy; they include Saturday baths around the kitchen coal stove, men going to the City of Chicago bathhouses while the women socialized at home. The women would play cards, host coffee klatches, or listen to the record player. Also, those who had cars would use them to drive down Taylor Street and hangout, go to picnics, go to concerts in Garfield Park, or go to Navy Pier. Additionally, Taylor Street is home to various churches, restaurants, schools, stores, and social clubs that continue the Italian heritage even today (Catrambone and Shubart 2007).
The Hull House is an example of a historical location in Little Italy. Also known as the settlement house, the Hull House practiced an “open door policy” allowing immigrants from various countries to reside there. Italians were one of the main ethnic groups that stayed in the house. In fact, Jane Addams opened the Hull House in 1889 before Little Italy was established. Therefore, the neighborhood formed around the Hull House, which is evidence that many Italians immigrants utilized the house when they were just starting to get on their feet (Chicago Encyclopedia).
Unfortunately, many changes began to take place in the 1960s and 1970s when the University of Illinois in Chicago and the Illinois Medical District was developed. Although Little Italy sometimes welcomed change, this caused a division to form between Taylor Street and the Italian population. Many who lived in Little Italy, especially members of Our Lady of Pompeii, were very upset about these urban renewal projects. Mass protests, sit-ins, and court cases were used to try to stop the creation of these two major developments, but failed. The campus alone displaced 1,900 families, 630 businesses, and many other important parts of the Italian culture including schools and churches. Despite this, the neighborhood refused to die! In fact, instances of rejuvenation include the restoration of old homes, creation of new town houses, and efforts to maintain the ethnic community. Although the urban renewal projects caused Italians to move to other locations in the city and suburbs, many still believe Taylor Street is their home. Furthermore, Little Italy symbolized Italian culture in Chicago because it was and still is home to more Italian immigrants and their descendants than any other neighborhood in the city (Catrambone and Shubart 2007:7).
FINDINGS
My previous expectation of Little Italy was that is was a very touristy area and did nothave true Italian characteristics. I figured that Italians no longer lived there, even before I did my research. I visited Little Italy on February 14, 2015 in the afternoon. It was a very cold, but sunny day. My parents were visiting for the weekend, so I had two Italian observers with me.
I began my journey on Taylor Street, walking south from Halsted Street. In the beginning it was hard to find evidence of the Italian culture. But, as I moved deeper into Taylor Street, I saw more traces of Italians remnants. The first thing I noticed was the organization of the streets. There were many townhouses mixed with the shops and restaurants. Also, small streets off of Taylor Street had groups of homes, apartments, and complexes. Some areas had the shop at the street level and the home above it. A good example of this is Mario’s Italian Lemonade, which is a notorious institution in Little Italy. Because it was established in 1954, newer homes were built around it. This really shocked me. I expected this well-known shop to stand alone, due to its importance. Instead, it was amidst townhouses and randomly placed on Taylor Street. This was the case for some other Italian restaurants as well. Particular restaurants and shops I observed included pizza places, Italian bakeries, Italian beef store. One was called “Tuscany” which I thought was odd because the Italian immigrants who migrated into Little Italy were Sicilians and Southern Italians. This added a touristy addition to it because Tuscany is a famous part of Italy. On the other hand, I went to a very authentic Italian restaurant called Davanti Enoteca. I had a faro salad and a prosciutto pizza (and watched my parents drink Italian wine). The food was amazing and comparable to pizza I have had in Italy. I was happy that I got a “taste” of Little Italy!
I also noticed that regular chain stores appeared on Taylor Street, including Jimmy Johns, Chase bank, etc. Somewhat surprisingly, I also saw a few Asian restaurants on Taylor Street. I thought this was very odd but it was an example of a mix of culture. Most importantly, the normality proves that this is just a regular neighborhood Chicago street with Italian character. There are some touristy attractions that are similar to my previous expectations, like the Hull House and the National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame that will be discussed next, but Little Italy is pretty typical.
The National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame was a very interesting museum Little Italy had to offer. It provided some history of Italians in not only Chicago but across the nation. It contained memorabilia of various Italian athletes. When comparing the first image with the others below, the growth of this museum is evident. This demonstrates the renewal that swept through Little Italy in recent decades.
The Hull House is another site in Little Italy that offers information about its deep history. Although it now is a museum, in the past it served as a settlement house for immigrants in Chicago. The museum has many unique features, including the preservation of parts of the house such as Jane Addam’s bedroom and various artifacts such as photographs, songs, books, and furniture. The most intriguing Italian artifact I found in the Hull House was a knife-sharpening cart made by a Calabrian immigrant named Julio Fabrizio. He would push it through Little Italy and use it to repair knifes, saws, and umbrellas. I walked the distance between Taylor street and the Hull House, which allowed me to realize what it would be like for an Italian immigrant to live in the house and then go to the town for work.
There are many religious symbols in Little Italy because of the immigrant Italians’ Catholic religion. I walked down Roosevelt road and observed the Holy Family Church and its neighboring Saint Ignatius College Prep School. I knew from my past attendance at Catholic schools that it is normal to have a strong school-church affiliation. Although I did not go inside the church, I observed the beautiful exterior architecture. The stain class windows and medieval peaks were amazing. Additionally, there was Burke-Gearing Parish Center next to the Holy Family Church which seemed like a newer addition in comparison to the old church. As I ventured behind this parish center I found a healing garden and a bronze statue of Jesus as a child holding the hands of his parents, Mary and Joseph. This embodied the name of the church.
I also saw San Francisco Catholic Church on the same street as Holy Family Church, a church that Mexican Americans in Chicago have intimate historical ties to. Additionally, I passed by the Cori Marian Center, which is a Catholic charity that offers childcare. Saint Aloysuis Convent was another religious building I noticed. The amount of Catholic instituations I saw in Little Italy portrayed the influence of Catholicism in the Italian immigrants. In fact, the Shrine of Our Lady of Pompeii and Notre Dame de Chicago are two other famous Catholic churches that I did not get to visit. The main churches were on the major streets whereas the convent and childcare center I happened to come across on side streets on my way to Holy Family. Therefore, they appeared unused and unimportant. Also, because I visited on a Saturday, all religious centers seemed deserted.
Another major observation I made was of the vast property of the University of Illinois at Chicago. Taylor street and most of Roosevelt Road included the majority of the symbols of Italian culture. When I walked away from these areas, the district felt dominated by the university. In fact, Little Italy is sometimes called University Village. Therefore, I understood why Italian residents moved away during the construction of the school, because it really affects the vibe of the community. Additionally, looking at the map below, it is evident that the university almost engulfs Little Italy because there are no borders separating the two. Also, the Illinois Medical District is west of Little Italy. Although I did not go west, I can imagine its effects on the community being similar to that of University of Illinois at Chicago.
THE HEART OF ITALY
HISTORY OF THE HEART OF ITALY
Although the Little Italy on Taylor street has the moniker, there was never just one Little Italy in Chicago. The Heart of Italy is a small, outlying colony that was created in the pre-1920 period and is located on 24th and Oakley. When Italians came to Chicago they typically settled in areas that were near work. In fact, the McCormick Reaper plant was very close to 24th and Oakley; therefore, it is assumed that most Italians in this area worked at this plant. The Heart of Italy was mostly occupied by Italians from Tuscany, which gives it its “Little Tuscany” nickname. They came from places such as Ponte Buggianese, Bagni di Lucca, Montecatini, and other small towns in the northern italy/Tuscan region. Additionally, The Dillingham Commission provided evidence of 67 Northern Italian families in this neighborhood. Furthermore, Heart of Italy is much smaller than other Italian neighborhoods in Chicago. From the1890s to 1980s the population was around 1,200 people. Surprisingly, urban renewal and white flight did not occur in this neighborhood and cause turnover in the population. But a group of National Melleable employees in 1910 followed their jobs to a few miles west when Melleable opened a new location. This caused a decrease in the already small population. In addition, many Italian families relocated in other suburban locations in Chicago over the past few decades.
Despite these events, many important parts of the neighborhood still exist today that make up the character of the neighborhood including the still functioning St. Michael Archangel Church, the Po Piedmonte Club, a funeral home, and many Tuscan-style italian restaurants. Opened in 1903, St. Michael Archangel Church faced many hardships including a socialist campaign. But Father Louis Donanzan was able to win the cooperation from former adversaries as well as build a school for the church.
The physical and social closeness of the Heart of Italy resulted in great retention of the Italian language. This is what makes it the best location for the “Heart of Italy” festival that has taken place since the 1990s. Overall, the compact character of the neighborhood brought together many ethnic institutions that makes the Heart of Little the best preserved Little Italy in Chicago (Candeloro 2003).
DATA
My expectations of the Heart of Italy included a very authentic neighborhood because people have told me that it is the “real Little Italy.” I visited Heart of Italy the day after I went to Little Italy on Sunday, February 15, 2015 in the afternoon. It was still cold out, and a light snow was covering the streets. My parents were still with me.
I started on the corner of 24th and Oakley and drove down Oakley. It was extremely quiet and dead. No one was on the streets, except two men in front of the funeral home. All of the restaurants were closed. I felt a very peaceful mood as I walked down the empty streets with the snow falling. Initially, I was surprised that restaurants were notopen for lunch at 2pm on a Sunday; but then my parents and I laughed realizing that the Italians are probably eating at grandma’s house.
Like Little Italy, I immediately observed the structure of the street layout. As I walked around, I realized that the Heart of Italy was pretty much one block filled with restaurants and shops. Looking at the map below, the strip of restaurants begins at the red marker, extends down Oakley, and for the most part ends around West 24th Place.
It is evident how small of an area this neighborhood is. I couldn’t decide if the small size of the Heart of Italy is what makes it unique and authentic. In fact, there were not any sites for me to visit, and if there were any churches remaining, they were not near the main area. Therefore, what remains of Little Tuscany is very simple.
Also similar to Little Italy, there were many town houses mixed with the restaurants and some extended above the stores while the shops were still accessible at street level. Also, random alleyways and streets filled with homes forked off Oakley. Some restaurants and stores seemed abandoned as they had wood boards covering the door and had For Sale signs. This addition to the various dumpsters that filled the alleyways gave a shantytown vibe.
Overall, the ethnic restaurants make up the Heart of Italy. Pictured below are the main restaurants. Bacchanalia had an “Est. 1979" on it, which gave a symbol of the age of the area as well as the influence of the Italian immigrants on these stores. Although they were closed and I didn’t get a chance to have a meal in the Heart of Italy, I could tell they were authentic restaurants with home cooked food. Ironically, as I drove away from 24th and Oakley, I saw a few Mexican restaurants, which reminded me of the Asian restaurants I saw in Little Italy, except that it makes more sense given the nearby Pilsen and Little Village neighborhoods.
DISCUSSION
As my research is very comparative, I am analyzing the difference between not only the neighborhoods but also their past history.
Little Italy seemed very different than what I researched on its past history. Places that have remained from the past, such as the Hull House, Mario’s Italian Ice, churches, etc., are now transformed into sightseeing locations. I feel that this proves that the Italian culture no longer exists in Little Italy. In the past, these sites were an everyday location, but now they act as historical landmarks. Also, the very fact that very few Italians still reside in Little Italy is the largest factor into why Little Italy is incomparable to what it was like in the past. Obviously, the Asian restaurants and modern chain stores I saw would not have existed in Little Italy in the 1920s. Little Italy today is more subject to outside influence. Also, as discussed earlier, the urban renewal that took place, including the Illinois Medical District and the University of Illinois in Chicago, has taken away the Italian character of Little Italy and added a modern atmosphere. The one aspect that I feel still represents Italian culture thoroughly is the presence of the multiple religious centers. Although I do no not know the extent to which they are utilized by the current residents of Little Italy, the fact that they are still up and running shows their importance to the area.
The Heart of Italy is very similar to its historical neighborhood. The small block on 24th and Oakley seems pretty comparable to what it was before. In fact, the small size is an aspect that is the same as its past. Ethnic Italian restaurants and shops, slum-like characteristics, and relaxed atmosphere all are comparable to the Little Tuscany that existed decades ago. Some of the restaurants on Oakley are the original ones that were opened by Italian immigrants. Also, there aren’t any historical locations that act as tourist destinations, which adds an authentic feel.
Looking at both Little Italy and the Heart of Italy, there are many similarities and differences. First off, the map below illustrates the difference in location and distance apart. Although they are fairly close, they are in different districts of Chicago.
An important difference is the size of the two neighborhoods. Little Italy is more sizeable and contains more streets, restaurants, and historical sites. Little Tuscany has a few restaurants and lacks tourist attractions. Even when Italian immigrants lived in these communities, Little Italy was larger. This dissimilarity originates from the idea that Little Italy got developed into a recognized neighborhood both back then and today. Despite size, authenticity is important as well. Although the Heart of Italy is small, it is more genuine.
Both being remnants of Italian immigrant-filled towns, Little Italy don’t represent its past very well, whereas the Heart of Italy does. This stems from the fact Little Italy both face urban renewal projects and modernization whereas the Heart of Italy did not. Little Italy underwent the creation of University of Illinois at Chicago and the Illinois Medical District. But many Italians left Little Tuscany for various reasons. Unfortunately, there is no longer a neighborhood with a high proportion of Italians living in it in Chicago like many other ethnic and religious groups have.
As discussed earlier, both Little Italy and the Heart of Chicago appear to be your average Chicago neighborhoods with an Italian twang because of the fact that they are up-to-date. This can be viewed as reductionistic as it standardizes them and causes them to be reduced to the rest of Chicago. On that same note, the lack of a large Italian population inhabiting these neighborhoods suggests similarities. The presence of Italians is key in determining its authenticity. In fact, both neighborhoods have restaurants of different ethnic groups. I observed Asian cuisine in Little Italy and a Mexican joint in the Heart of Italy. This demonstrates a mixture of cultures. Overall both Little Italy and Little Tuscany lack the Italian culture from the people themselves that gives neighborhoods their characteristics and brings them to life.
When utilizing an ethnographic lens and interpreting in terms of the ideas of authors such as Griswold (2013) and Harper (2012), my evaluation of the two neighborhoods becomes sociologically significant. Firstly, assessing Griswold’s description of culture allows us to better understand the significance of Italian culture in Little Italy and the Heart of Italy. Wendy Griswold quotes Clifford Geertz’s definition of culture as “an historically transmitted pattern of meanings embodied in symbols, a system of inherited conceptions expressed in symbolic forms by means of which men communicate, perpetuate, and develop their knowledge about and attitudes towards life” ( 2013:9). The way in which he analyzes culture is very history orientated; he believes that it is “historically transmitted” and a “system of inherited conceptions.” As I focus on the history of these two neighborhoods, it becomes clear that it is imperative to understand the past in order to fully understand the present culture (Griswold 2013).
On the other hand, Harper discusses the idea of reflexivity. This is very important to my sociological research in Chicago because I utilized this tool when I conducted my fieldwork. Reflexivity is defined as “reflective awareness of representational practice” or a more straightforward way to put is it “a kind of autobiography often precedes the research results” (Harper 2012:47, 51). What this means is that the researcher does not have to be more knowledgeable than what it being studied. In fact, their social position and background is a huge part of their interpretation. Additionally, reflexivity consists of a balance between becoming more acquainted with what is being photographed but at the same time avoiding becoming too much of an insider to see the world sociologically. Reflexivity is important to my research because I am Italian and Catholic, which is what I was studying in Chicago. Therefore, I was able to use my knowledge from my own ethnicity when researching Little Italy and the Heart of Italy. At the same time, I was able to be analytical because I do not know what it is like to be an Italian Catholic in Chicago, especially in these particular neighborhoods. Harper’s reflexivity helped me fashion an accustomed yet investigative lens during my fieldwork in order to be an effective sociologist (Harper 2012).
Griswold also discusses subcultures, which shine light on Italians’ role within the Chicago culture. She best explains subcultures when she focuses on the role of symbols: “Within the subculture’s domain, however, operates a powerful set of symbols, meanings, and behavioral norms — often the opposite of those in the large culture — that bind the subculture’s members” (Griswold 2013:59). Italians historically were obviously a subculture in Chicago, especially when they came as immigrants, because they have their own objects that represent their culture, such as their cuisine, language, and activities. Therefore, these aspects are unique to Italians alone and different from the rest of Chicago. In fact, they formed various neighborhoods based on the region in Italy they were from; this is an example of subcultures within a subculture. Each neighborhood may have varied slightly in practices and beliefs, creating a difference among the Italian neighborhoods. Furthermore, even though Little Italy and the Heart of Italy originate from the same Italian subculture, they themselves are their own subculture. This explains the differences I observed both in their history and current state.
Another important sociological term that Griswold presents to her readers is “collective representation.” She acquired this term from Durkheim, who observed that people group together and share similar thoughts, attitudes and practices. Collective representation comes from his belief that every society has various ties that connect the culture. He stressed the importance of collective representation, as it inspires feelings of support and solidarity. In fact, when researching the history of Italians in Chicago, it became evident that they were closely knit and deeply cared for one another. Additionally, Durkheim emphasized religion as the central bond and basis of thinking and society: “Religion, therefore, encompasses the system of ideas by which people represent their society” (Griswold 2013:53). As I included Catholicism in my research, I realized that it was a very important part of their daily lives. Saint Benizi Church was very influential in the Heart of Italy. Overall, collective representation is apparent in the Italian culture in Chicago through their religious beliefs and ethnic practices.
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, I sociologically analyzed two Italian neighborhoods in Chicago. Little Italy and the Heart of Chicago were both similar and different to one another and their respective histories. My findings affect the lives of Italians in Chicago because it could help them connect with their ancestors who set up these communities. They can understand the lives they created in Chicago and compare it to their own life. In this way, they can more strongly evoke their Italian ethnicity that may have died just like the neighborhoods. On the sociological side of things, I am furthering the research of subcultures, collective representation, and visual ethnography in general as I applied it to Italians in Chicago. Therefore, I am providing a new perspective of these topics through their application to Little Italy and the Heart of Chicago. If I were to continue my research and visit the sites again, I would want to gain more of an insider perspective by interviewing both Italian and non-Italian residents. Through this, I can not only learn more about Italian practices by understanding the relationship to them but also listen to the viewpoint of these traditions from non-Italian residents. Lastly, this research is special to me and my Italian Catholic heritage. In addition to the tools I have previously obtained from my personal cultural experience, I now possess the sociological language as well. I have always understood what it means to be Italian from my family and experiences; now I understand Italian life at a whole new level because I was able to critically analyze my cultural heritage.
REFERENCES
Candeloro, Dominic. 1999. Italians in Chicago (Images of America). Chicago: Arcadia Publishing.
Candeloro, Dominic. 2003. Chicago’s Italians: Immigrants, Ethnics, Americans. Chicago: Arcadia Publishing.
Catrambone, Kathy; Shubart, Ellen. 2007. Taylor Street: Chicago’s Little Italy (Images of America). Chicago: Arcadia Publishing.
Encyclopedia of Chicago. 2005. Retrieved March 8, 2015 (http://www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org).
Griswold, Wendy. 2013. Cultures and Societies in a Changing World. Los Angeles: Sage.
Harper, Douglas. 2012. Visual Sociology. New York: Routledge.
Rabiola, Rose, and Wells, Christina. 1981. Italians in Chicago. Italians in Chicago Project.
