Reflections from the South Side

This is a story about emigres from a hill town called Terravecchia, in the Province of Cosenza, in Calabria, Italy. These emigres formed an Italian district on the south side of Des Moines, Iowa, starting in the beginning of the twentieth century. The accounts of the assimilation and acculturation process of these people who eventually earned the right to become full-fledged Americans are presented by the author, Albert Coco. Being a first generation Italian from that district, the author is able to share his very personal thoughts and memories about his family and neighborhood from that first wave of immigrants and give some insight of how the immigration process was intended to operate.

This is a story about a neighborhood that was formed by emigres from a hill town and surrounding area called Terravecchia, in the Province of Cosenza, in Calabria, Italy. This neighborhood began to develop on the south side of Des moines, Iowa, in the beginning of the twentieth century. The poverty, oppression, lawlessness, and hopelessness experienced by people from the south of Italy caused a mass migration to the United States during that period. The conditions at that time prompted this move to a foreign country to allow the emigres an opportunity to start a new life for themselves and their families. Although the assimilation and acculturation of these newcomers was difficult, they overcame many challenges as they earned the right to become full-fledged Americans. This account gives some insight of how the immigration process was intended to work. The author, Albert Coco, is a first generation Italian whose immigrant father was a shoemaker. Here, he is able to share his very personal thoughts and memories about his family and members of the south side community from that first wave of immigrants and the positive effect they had on their families, community, and country.

Albert Coco is a retired dentist whose father was an immigrant shoemaker from southern Italy. During his career he has been published in professional journals and lectured extensively to members of his profession. He has shared many of his reflections about his heritage throughout his life and has finally blended his life experiences with the immigrant experiences that have shaped his life in this novel.