Italian oral history project audio recordings

Collection

Identifier: A0305

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The Italian oral history project audio recordings (1970-1987) were recorded initially on reel-to-reel audiotape and later on audiocassettes. They consist of interviews with subjects who either immigrated directly from Italy or were born in the United States immediately after their parents arrived in this country. Each interview begins with a short biography of the subject and then expands to include various topics such as discrimination, early union organizational efforts, social events, etc. Other topics are covered in this register. Some of the interviews are in Italian.

Dates

1970-1979
1987

Creator

University of Utah. American West Center (Organization)

Language of Materials

Materials in English and Italian.

Conditions Governing Access

Materials must be used on-site; no use of original material, access copies will be made available for viewing. Five business days advanced notice required. Access to parts of this collection may be restricted under provisions of state or federal law, condition of the material, or by donor.

Historical Note

In 1964, History professors A. R. Mortensen and Gregory Crampton conceived the University of Utah's American West Center (originally called the Western History Center) as an institution devoted exclusively to research on the American West. As a part of its mission to create and disseminate knowledge about the American West, the center established the ongoing Ethnic Oral Histories Project to explore the experiences of Utah members of Native American and ethnic immigrant communities, including Italian Americans.

Many Italians immigrated to Utah during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Although some came because they were Mormon converts, more were attracted to Utah as laborers for the state's railroad and mining industries in Salt Lake, Weber and Carbon Counties. Although varying degrees of strife existed between the Italian immigrants, other residents of Utah, the Ku Klux Klan, and even between immigrants from Northern and Southern Italy, Italian Americans developed active communities like the "Little Italy" near Salt Lake City's Rio Grande Station and established lodges and societies in mining towns like Bingham and Castle Gate. Miners joined labor unions and were active in several strikes in the early twentieth century. The interviews in this collection focus on these early days, but they also more loosely encompass the Italian American experience in Utah from the end of the nineteenth century to the mid-late twentieth century when these oral histories were compiled.

Extent

34 Items

Additional Description

Abstract

The Italian oral history project audio recordings (1970-1987) consist of interviews conducted with Utahns of Italian descent. Interviews begin with a short biography of the subject and cover topics such as discrimination, labor unions and social events. The American West Center conducted this and other ethnic oral history projects in an attempt to record the experiences Utah's eithnic minorities.