The Bronx Italian American History Initiative at Fordham University is seeking Italian Americans from our borough to create an online archive of personal stories of Italians and Italian Americans, the Bronx neighborhoods they settled and lived in as well as worked.
According to the BIAHI:
“Italian immigrants and their children made lasting contributions to the texture of life in the Bronx. They built churches and movie theaters, formed sports organizations and social clubs, and established small businesses that continue to thrive today. They are an essential part of Bronx and Fordham history.
We want to tell Italian American story: our interactive, public archive will showcase the complexity of the Italian American experience from a multiethnic perspective. Working with the Bronx African American History Project, our goal is to establish Fordham as a leader in community oral history and research.”
Also, they are currently raising funds to cover the costs of this wonderful project documenting one of the many ethnic communities that make up our wonderful borough so any donation helps.
If you want to be a part of this project and are interested in being interviewed, click here to fill out their form.
The interviews take place at Fordham’s Rose Hill campus Mondays through Fridays September through April and generally lasts about 1-2 hours. According to the BIAHI, the interviews just like having a normal conversation where they will ask you anything from religious traditions, to foods, to language and other things revolving around daily life.
These sessions are recorded via audio and video and if you agree, it will be made available online for but public and scholarly use.
We can’t wait to hear your stories!
