Sport and the Shaping of Italian American Identity

Until almost halfway through the 20th century Italians were viewed by many Americans as a distinct ethnicity, which occasionally veered into outright racism. This was furthered by the relative lack of progress of the immigrants in learning English, high levels of illiteracy, and employment mostly as manual laborers. It was only with the movement of many African-Americans northward and strong rates of service in World War II that they came to be viewed as actual Americans. As Gems is a professor of health and physical education, this work largely focuses on their pursuit and relative success in sports, particularly in the boxing ring. Yet he traces throughout their gradual immersion into all aspects of the dominant culture and the gradual decline in usage of terms such as "dagoes," "wops," or "guineas." In the closing chapter he observes how the immersion has come full circle as the fourth generation seeks a resurgence of Italian identity. This can be seen most markedly in the celebration of entertainers and sports figures like John Travolta, Madonna, and Joe DiMaggio, along with the growth of Italian festivals. Two appendixes show the rankings of Italian-American boxers from 1924-39 by Ring magazine and race and ethnicity data for the CUNY faculty and staff. Annotation c2014 Ringgold, Inc., Portland, OR (protoview.com)

Gerald R. Gems is professor in the Health and Physical Education Department at North Central College in Naperville, Illinois. He is the author of numerous books, including The Athletic Crusade: Sport and American
Cultural Imperialism.