DAVID BIANCULLI

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MIKE HUGHES

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NOEL HOLSTON

 
 
 
 
 
THE ITALIAN AMERICANS
February 17, 2015  | By David Bianculli  | 1 comment

PBS, 9:00 p.m. ET

 

SERIES PREMIERE: Concluding next week, this four-hour, two-night documentary traces the emigration of Italians to the United States, recounting bias and difficulties as well as innovations and triumphs. One story it doesn’t tell, so I will: my grandfather, Vitale Bianculli, came to America in 1911, arriving from a small mountain village in what would be the “ankle” of Italy. He was a tailor, despite having lost a few fingers in a childhood firecracker explosion. And since U.S. immigration, at the time, would have rejected him as “deformed” and refused him entry, he waited until the dead of winter, and made the uncomfortable Atlantic boat crossing so he could hide his injury with specially finger-padded gloves he had sewn for the occasion. And because of that, he brought his wife and had a family here – and all these years later, here am I. So yes, I’ll be watching The Italian Americans. Proudly. Check local listings.

 
 
 
 
 
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1 Comments
 
 
Eileen
Absolutely loved this! Having lived in Lower Manhattan for 20 years, I don't have to go far to see & appreciate the hard work & architectural imagination of the Italian Americans. Sightseeing in NY should include Old St. Patrick's Cathedral as a mandatory stop. In the heart of Little Italy, it's beauty is inspiring. So much history! Can't wait to enjoy the next two hours of this wonderful show! Thanks for the recommendation or I might have missed this.
Feb 18, 2015   |  Reply
 
 
 
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