IAP 24: John Maggio on the creation of Italian-American identity, our past struggles, and our many triumphs.

PBS Italian Americans John Maggio — Photo Ref: Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

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In this episode, we interview filmmaker John Maggio, who has spent a decade making documentaries hailed for their social impact and exceptional craft. His work includes several films for “FRONTLINE” and “American Experience.” Maggio’s films have been honored with the National Emmy Award, Writers Guild Award, an Independent Spirit Award, and NAACP Image Award nomination, as well as multiple News and Documentary Emmy Award nominations. His work has premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and has been shown at festivals around the world.

Maggio is co-creator and Senior Producer of “Finding Your Roots With Henry Louis Gates Jr.” He wrote and directed the landmark four-hour series “The Italian Americans” in 2015. He’s currently at work on “Into the Amazon,” a two-hour exploration of Theodore Roosevelt’s fateful 1914 trip down the River of Doubt in Brazil.

Lisa and Samuel Amato — Samuel and Lisa Amato

In our Story Segment, we feature a touching story from two of our listeners, father-daughter duo Samuel and Lisa Amato, about their mother/grandmother and a childhood experience that impacted the rest of her life, which highlights the challenges our ancestors faced when they arrived in the United States.

Episode Quote

This quote is from “The Italian Americans”: “I was like third generation. I was totally American. But Italian…it’s in your bones; the poetry, the art, the history, the music…It made its way into my music later on.” – Dion DiMucci (of Dion and the Belmonts).

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Episode Summary

Some of the key points Maggio touched on included:

There isn’t a lot of information out there about the history of Italian Americans.
He decided to start with a theme of family and build the PBS series “The Italian Americans” around that theme.
Italian Americans can raise their children in a very protective manner, which can both support and hold back the children; it can be especially challenging for women.
Even as late as the 1980’s Italian Americans dealt with criticism and prejudice.
Italians immigrants didn’t have as much written history as other cultures.
The documentary really opened Maggio’s eyes to the immigrant experience.
Italian Americans just want to tell their story, which is powerful.