Maligned by modern media and often stereotyped; Italian Americans possess a vibrant; if largely forgotten; radical past. In Italian Immigrant Radical Culture; Marcella Bencivenni delves into the history of the sovversivi; a transnational generation of social rebels; and offers a fascinating portrait of their political struggle as well as their milieu; beliefs; and artistic creativity in the United States. As early as 1882; the sovversivi founded a socialist club in Brooklyn. Radical organizations then multiplied and spread across the country; from large urban cities to smaller industrial mining areas. By 1900; thirty official Italian sections of the Socialist Party along the East Coast and countless independent anarchist and revolutionary circles sprang up throughout the nation. Forming their own alternative press; institutions; and working class organizations; these groups created a vigorous movement and counterculture that constituted a significant part of the American Left until World War II. Italian Immigrant Radical Culture compellingly documents the wide spectrum of this oppositional culture and examines the many cultural and artistic forms it took; from newspapers to literature and poetry to theater and visual art. As the first cultural history of Italian American activism; it provides a richer understanding of the Italian immigrant experience while also deepening historical perceptions of radical politics and culture.
#98037 in Books University of Texas Press 2016-09-06Original language:English 9.00 x 1.00 x 6.00l; .0 #File Name: 1477311130312 pagesUniversity of Texas Press
Review
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful. I loved reading this book because the story of big government ...By J. DohertyWhat an eye opener for those of us who lived through the 1960s in the South; and thought we knew well all events there. I loved reading this book because the story of big government policy and wonderful ordinary men shows how history really happens. Even if it is a bit scholarly sometimes; the book is an enjoyable read. The character of the men who were good at math and wanted to work in the space program shines through the Jim Crow constraints with which they had to contend.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Blacks in SpaceBy JamieCannot get enough facts about Black History; this was affordable and fantastic shape w/dj.6 of 7 people found the following review helpful. great historical readBy irishlassA good comprehensive look into how NASA with its many locations in the South made inroads to help alleviate poverty for all Southerners and prejudice against blacks in the South. Of course; unfortunately; prejudice will never be totally eradicated; but this book gives good insight into the many ways that NASA succeeded; and the ways it could not; as told by the people who lived it.
