Loyal Americans

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Description

Written and produced by John Maggio and narrated by Academy Award-nominated actor Stanley Tucci, “The Italian Americans” explores the evolution of the Italian community, from “outsiders” in the late nineteenth viewed with suspicion and mistrust to some of the most prominent leaders of business, politics and the arts today. This film examines how the second generation of Italian Americans entered politics and sports through Fiorello LaGuardia’s campaign for New York City mayor and Joe DiMaggio’s rise to fame as an all-American hero. However Italians' loyalty to America was questioned during World War II. While many Italian Americans fought on the frontlines, others were labeled "Enemy Aliens" and stripped of constitutional rights. The war was a turning point for Italian Americans as they broke out of their enclaves. Distributed by PBS Distribution.