From The Peopling of New York City

Italian immigrants, like all immigrants, got paid much lower then non-immigrants. “Expecting their stay in America to be brief, Italian immigrants lived as inexpensively as possible under conditions that native born families considered intolerable.” ^[1] Italian immigrants saved all the money they earned so they could send it back to their family in Italy.

Upward mobility was slow for Italians mainly because they were uneducated. Although some Italians were able to improve their income many Italians were of the working-class. Surveys taken throughout the 20th century showed that the Italians were the largest group of laborers. In 1916 Italian men made up 50% of the labor force; in 1931 the number dropped to 31%. ^[2]

Italians who owned a business of their own usually made good income. Italians in New York usually owned a grocery store, drug store or a restaurant. Those Italians who were educated took part in the real estate industry. ^[3]

Italian women had to join the work force to bring home an income. Most women worked at home but young women would get jobs in factories. “Around World War I, while 43 percent of Italian girls ages 14 to 16 were still in school, 40 percent worked in factories and only 1 percent found jobs as white collar workers. By age 18 most had dropped out of school and gone to work in manufacturing.” ^[4]

Citations

1. ↑ Digital History. Italian Immigration. April 11,2009. [1]
2. ↑ Binder, Frederick, and David Reimers. All the Nations Under Heaven(157-165). New York: Columbia University Press, 1995.
3. ↑ Binder, Frederick, and David Reimers. All the Nations Under Heaven(157-165). New York: Columbia University Press, 1995.
4. ↑ Binder, Frederick, and David Reimers. All the Nations Under Heaven(157-165). New York: Columbia University Press, 1995.

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