No matter where you live or where your Italian ancestors came from, we are here to assist in your journey. Join us at our presentations and bring your Italian family history to life.

Meeting Days/Times

The Italian Interest Group meets virtually on Zoom on the third Saturday of the month, 1:30pm Pacific Time. (No meetings in December, July or August.) Meetings are open to all at no cost, but attendees must sign up here in advance. Donations appreciated.

IIG Meeting - April 2026

Date:
Time:
Topic:

Presenter:

16-May-2026 (Saturday)
1:30 pm (PT)
Staying Behind in Italy during the Age of Mass Migration – Everyday Life for Our Ancestors in Italy
Victoria Calabrese

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Description:This presentation will discuss daily life in Italy in the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries, the period of mass emigration. The presentation will include information about home life, economics, society, gender roles, the emigration process, and what life was like for those who remained behind. This presentation gives a fuller perspective of the migration process, including not just those who migrated, but including those who never migrated, showing how their lives were affected just as much as those migrating.

Presenter Bio: Victoria Calabrese received her Ph.D. in modern European history from the Graduate Center at the City University of New York. Her research focuses on modern Italian history, gender, migration, and nation building. Her book, Italian Women in Basilicata: Staying Behind but Moving Forward during the Age of Mass Emigration, 1876–1914, was published by Lexington Books in 2022. The book examines women in the southern Italian region of Basilicata and the many ways their lives changed when their husbands emigrated. In addition to the women who remained behind, she has written articles on honor and infanticide, and on traveling child musicians. Victoria is an avid genealogist, focusing on southern Italian genealogy research. She is currently an adjunct professor at Lehman College, teaching courses in early modern and modern European history

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Support the Italian Interest Group (IIG).
We do not charge any fees to attend our webinars. All of our programs are made possible through the generosity of our community. Your donation directly supports the Italian Interest Group by funding guest speakers and special presentations for those researching Italian ancestry. All contributions are processed through our parent organization, the Eastside Genealogical Society, a 501(c)(3) charitable nonprofit. This means your donation to the Italian Interest Group is tax‑deductible. Tax ID: 91‑1205979

Thank you for helping us continue to offer high‑quality, no‑cost educational programs.

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Check

Mail a check payable to “Eastside Genealogical Society” with the notation “IIG donation” and sending it to Eastside Genealogical Society, PO Box 374, Bellevue, Washington 98009-0374

Benvenuti / Welcome