SUNSHINE AND STRUGGLE: THE ITALIAN EXPERIENCE IN LOS ANGELES, 1827-1927

From the The Historic Italian Hall Foundation, an ongoing exhibit through mid-November on the Italian contribution to Los Angeles:

The Historic Italian Hall Foundation in collaboration with El Pueblo Historical Monument will present SUNSHINE AND STRUGGLE: THE ITALIAN EXPERIENCE IN LOS ANGELES, 1827-1927 through November 15, 2008 at the Pico House Gallery. The history of Italians in Los Angeles is a seldom-examined topic that when explored, provides a more meaningful understanding of the city’s rich history and unparalleled diversity.  While few reminders of Los Angeles’ long-disappeared little Italy remain, the Italian enclave was located in the heart of the city, in the areas surrounding El Pueblo Historical Monument, present-day Chinatown and Union Station, spreading eastward in the later years to Lincoln Heights. From the time of the first Italian settler’s arrival in 1827, Italian immigrants held important civic and entrepreneurial positions and played an instrumental role in the city’s economic development.  SUNSHINE AND STRUGGLE features dozens of never-before-published photographs and numerous historical artifacts pertaining to the Italian American presence in Los Angeles, an experience that both mirrors and contrasts from that of their counterparts elsewhere in the United States. It is written and curated by historian Mariann Gatto. The Pico House Gallery at El Pueblo Historical Monument: 424 North Main Street, Los Angeles, 90012.