The History of Italians in Mississippi is related to the Italian presence and emigration to the State of Mississippi in southern US. The immense obstacles that these Italian immigrants faced in assimilating into the broader society were far from easy, while also attempting to preserve their identity, culture, and traditions in a new land. Italian immigrants are responsible for developing and contributing to the region now known as Mississippi.
History
In the 19th century, many Italians entered the United States in New Orleans and traveled onwards to Mississippi. Over 100 immigrants lived in Mississippi as the American Civil War started. In the late 19th century, Italian immigration increased in the United States, which made a tremendous impact on the area. Some of them went to work in the so-called "Mississippi Delta" in the cotton plantations, and even helped the development of the blues music with their mandolins.
People originating in Sicily in real life became involved in the fruit industry in the area around New Orleans in the late 1800s, which in turn influenced Italian settlement on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
Roman Catholic faith
Most people in Italy are Roman Catholics. Italians are predominantly Roman Catholic as a whole, and so were those Italians that settled in Mississippi. The Catholic Church outfitted vital institutional support to them and future generations. Although the presence of a Catholic population in Mississippi is relatively minor, Italians are a prominent group within many Catholic churches across the state.
Sicilian immigrants
Greenville, Mississippi had the most Sicilian immigrants out of other cities in the delta. Most immigrants first settled in New Orleans and worked in the sugar cane and cotton fields. Later on when they arrived in the Delta, they began to settle in towns, which enabled them to open up grocery stores, restaurants, and fruit stands. Because they lived in towns, rather than on farms, they had access to higher quality education, which they took advantage of.
Because of these opportunities, young Sicilian immigrants were able to grow up, become established and enter into the workforce much faster than Central Italian immigrants. Sicilians established strong ties with their homeland after coming to America.
Italians in the Delta
Around the 1880s, the first Italian immigrants settled in the Mississippi Delta. Most immigrants were hired to be farm laborers on large plantations, whereas some became peddlers and sold goods to farmers. Religion, family roots and farming were the three vital traditions Italians managed to maintain after moving to the United States.
Italians made a major impact specifically on the Mississippi Delta region, because of the farming culture they created by utilizing fertile soil in the land of opportunity – although they did get accustomed to the Southern tradition, but in doing so they also preserved their rich Italian culture.
Perceptions of Italian immigrants
During the period of mass immigration to the United States, Italians suffered widespread discrimination in housing, social acceptance and employment. Local Mississippians had various beliefs and attitudes towards the 20th century Italian settlers. Many stereotypes floated around about them after they settled. During this time they faced discrimination, prejudiced attitudes and bigotry, all directed to their ethnic background.
First-generation became farmers, grocers, and merchants. The next generation became doctors, bankers, and lawyers. One of them was able to reach the top political level in Mississippi: Andrew Longino, who was governor from 1900 to 1904.
The Ku Klux Klan thrived off of targeting Catholics, including Italians. Italians were perceived as violent and dirty. Newspapers were even sensationalizing stories and headlines to further boost the negative reputation and stereotypes of Italian immigrants. Because of their darker skin tone and hair, Italians were viewed to be second-class citizens, unlike those of northern European ancestry. Italian immigrants that were tenant farmers at this time did work equivalent to African Americans, and therefore resulted in both ethnic groups residing at the bottom of the social scale.
Italian Americans were often victims of prejudice, economic exploitation, and sometimes even violence, particularly in the South. And Mississippi (with nearby Louisiana) was no exception to this.
Lynchings
Indeed, Mississippi and Louisiana were to become a worldwide symbol of anti-Italianism when, in 1891, eleven Italian immigrants in New Orleans were lynched due to their alleged role in the murder of the police chief David Hennessy.