116 years ago, my great-grandfather Domenico, known as "Micu," left Calabria with his heart full of hope and the determination of a man who dares to dream of a better future. On March 4, 1909, he boarded a train in Gerace Marina, his destination Naples, where the ship Europa waited to carry him legally across the vast, unknown ocean to America.
I decided to share his story, following his journey and his first year in the busy, fast-moving life of New York. That's how 1909 The Chronicle of an Italian Immigrant was born-a book that captures the spirit of the time and the lives of those who left everything behind.
But this is not just my great-grandfather's story, this is a story of Italian immigration, like millions of others in the early 1900s, is full of hope and struggle. Families leave their homes with nothing but dreams of a better life in America. They push through, working hard to build a future for their children. Through all the hardships, they never forget where they came from, carrying their Italian roots and strength in every step they take.
I hope it moves you as deeply as it moved me to write it.
Antonio Larosa