This film details the history of Italian Immigration to the United States via steamship in the early 20th century, through the eyes of Gerardo D’Amico. Learn about the business of the immigrant trade and how changing laws and anti-immigration sentiment in America forced the steamship companies to focus more on pleasure cruising. This film provides primary source images from the SSHSA Archive as well as images from personal collections of the D’Amico family and Ted Scull. Images and video from the Library of Congress and in the public domain are also used.
Using exclusive oral histories and primary resources straight from our extensive archives, we focus on the vessels, crew, and passengers that revolutionized the way that we traveled, traded, and immigrated. Steam ahead with us as we navigate the waters of America’s rich maritime heritage.
This program is generously funded by Ted Scull who also helps source interviews, research, and provides visual materials.You can view films, podcasts, primary sources, and accompanying lessons below. You can see videos for all three themes here.
Rhode Island Social Studies Standards
Inquiry Topic 1: Transformations of the Late 19th Century
- SSHS.USII.1.4: Second-wave immigration to the United States
