I started this photo essay with the idea in my head that Little Italy was home to a great number of Italian-Americans. Before visiting, I planned out an idea called “Handmade” where I would interview store/restaurant owners about their experience with traditional elements/ conforming to a changing American society.
I then visited Little Italy, and my idea completely changed. Where was everyone? The streets were pretty empty, except on the outskirts of Little Italy bordering Chinatown. My Dad, who was with me/ who I photographed, explained that it’s not the same as it used to be. I thought about how neighborhoods shift, and how they become repurposed to conform with societal change. That is when I came up with the idea of “Repurposed”, as the neighborhood is different to me than it was to my Dad, and even my grandparents.
RESEARCH;
Seminar experience:
I have not visited Little Italy, aside from the San Gennaro festival in September, since around 2007. Being a third generation Italian-American, and a New York Local, I expected the streets to smell like garlic and oil; I expected there to be the people of my Grandmother’s childhood stories. Characters like Jimmy Door-Door, Uncle Frankie, and beautiful women with dark hair and beauty marks seemed to mark the idea of Italian-American Culture. Storefront affiliation with the mob, being a stereotype, was unfortunately not too far from the truth. However, I did not fear this; in fact, I could not wait to see the modern twist on my grandmother’s childhood stories of Little Italy and Italian-Harlem.
The first question I thought of when arriving on Mott Street was, where is Little Italy? Not realizing, I was standing right in it, It was about 2 and a half blocks long. The streets were empty, aside from the Gucci Bag salesman who followed me along my journey, and a few waiters were trying to grab my attention. How could this tiny, empty street mark Italian culture? What happened to the Little Italy of the past? Yes, some stores seemed very Italian; cannoli stands, bakeries, and eateries lined the street. What it lacked, however, were the people I wanted to meet. There, alone, I stood staring at the Andy Warhol Burger King advertisement, and I began my investigation.
Interview 1 – Person A
Q: Are you a Little Italy local?
A: No, I live in Brooklyn. Not many people who work in Little Italy are from the area.
Q: When did you start working here?
A: I started working at Cannoli King around 6 years ago, most businesses here are family owned, but the kids don’t want to stay in the restaurant biz. They want to be doctors, artists, lawyers; so they move around the country and Little Italy stays here, and it shrinks.
Q: Do you know why they didn’t continue the businesses?
A: Well, you would know better than me. Why don’t young people want to be in family businesses?
From this interaction, I learned that Person A works at Cannoli King, and has for 6 years. I also got a key point into the diminished ‘tourist attraction’ which is Little Italy; the younger generations don’t want to be in the family businesses. They move out of their homes and conform to American ideals.
Interview 2 – Person B
Q: Have you been to Little Italy before?
A: Yes, I come here every so often. I live in New Jersey.
Q: Do you consider Little Italy a ‘tourist attraction’ or a neighborhood defined by culture?
A: I think… it used to be a cultural area. Now half of it is gift shops and the restaurants aren’t the same quality. Trust me.
Q: How do you compare the food to what you’ve had before?
A: It tastes better during San Genarro, you know? The big festival. The butcheries and what not are imports, so they’re pretty good. But sitting down and having a spaghetti dinner isn’t what it used to be.
From this interaction, I learned that Person B is from New Jersey and visits Little Italy sometimes. I also learned that restaurant quality has gone down. Perhaps the ingredients are different.
Interview 3- Person C
Q: Where are you from?
A: I was originally born in Detroit, now I live in Upstate New York.
Q: Do you remember Little Italy before the turn of the century (the 2000s).
A: Yes, it was twice the size of this. Maybe 3 times.
In addition to these sources, I continued my research. Firstly, I wanted a historical source that would let me know the roots of Little Italy. According to The Changing Face of Little Italy by Stephen A. Fielding, the general population of Little Italy were Italian Immigrants. Generally, these immigrants had not been educated in an academic setting and did not know how to speak English. To get by in changing America, many of these immigrants owned businesses such as Ferraras. The ingredients they used were fresh and they cooked in a traditional manner, without conforming to America’s standards. Eventually, as generations passed, the children became more and more “American” and less “European”. People on the outskirts of this area would come to enjoy traditional food, and the more this occurred, the more American the food. Tourism made these families wealthy, and it changed the area for good.
As well as this, according to the photo essay by The Italian Enclaves Historical Society, it is not just Little Italy that has been closing down. There has been a trend in Italian businesses shutting down across the country, and slowly but surely, Little Italy may diminish. Rent is also a big factor according to New York Times journalist Kate Briquelet. Ianniello, a local business owner had just sold his property for around 17.5 million, “He recently got a rent bill for $34,000 a month — more than double what he used to pay.” With the factors of conforming to American society, high rent to pay, and family shifts, Little Italy may not be what it is now.
THE BOOKS –
(Cleaner) Ebook version:
little italy photo essay-12wouyv
(Homemade) Zine version:
How I made the zine:
