To be Italian or American?

By in European Immigration, Immigrant NYC

Interview “I want my daughter to have a better life than me,” Joann Maniscalco said but when asked if keeping the Italian culture or being Americanized was a better life for her daughter she shrugged. Joann Maniscalco came to American from Milan, Italy on September 14, 1974 by plane so that her mother could rejoin with her siblings and parents.  Joann struggled with the language for a bit, she spoke about how her history teacher asked her to read a page from the textbook and Joann didn’t know what to do because she did not know how to read it or speak.  Her teacher encouraged her to try her best and with help from classmates, she was able to learn it.  She married to Vincent Maniscalco and they had their daughter, Antonella.  The three live in Staten Island and are struggling with keeping the culture Joann grew up with and the American culture that surrounds them everywhere....