Projects
Gloucester's Hidden History of "Enemy Aliens"
SERIES LAUNCH
I am sharing the first in a series documenting untold stories of Sicilian and Italian Americans in Gloucester during World War II.
After Pearl Harbor in 1941, Italian immigrants across the nation were classified as "enemy aliens" by the U.S. government. Over 600,000 Italian Americans nationwide were forced to register, carry ID cards, and follow travel restrictions. Sicilian and Italian fishermen were barred from the waterfront and cut off from their livelihoods.
This first story features the account of my grandfathers, Pietro Favazza and Filippo Millefoglie, who emigrated from Sicily to Gloucester as teenagers for a life at sea. With the outbreak of the war, they and many other Gloucester immigrants faced discrimination and restrictions.
If you or your family have personal stories, photographs, or historical insights, we'd love to hear from you. Share your story: Email Maria (Mia) Millefoglie at mmillef@hotmail.com This project is a partnership between Maria (Mia) Millefoglie, Sal Zerilli, and the Down the Fort Documentary and Archive Project, supported by an Awesome Gloucester grant.
