Sicilian-Italian Research in the New Orleans area – Part 1
The American Italian Research Library
Written by: Marilyn Maniscalco Henley
Many of us have families who spent time in and around the greater New Orleans area - arrived by ship from Sicily, worked in nearby plantations, made the greater NO area home and some who still have families there.
New Orleans has several facilities where you can conduct research either online or in person to learn more about those individuals or families. Since PIA will be holding their 2025 Reunion in New Orleans, March 23-25, 2025, I thought I would share a few places where you can do some advance research and perhaps continue in person.
The American Italian Research Library was started by the American Italian Cultural Center in New Orleans but was moved from their NO location to Metairie several years ago. There is an extensive book and file collection but presently it is not cataloged, so searching remotely is difficult.
The large collection contains both printed and recorded oral histories, immigration records, notes, books, photographs and other artifacts chronicling the local Italian community who came from many towns in Sicily and Italy. Sadly, none of this is currently catalogued and titles are not searchable online.
However, although none of these holding are currently catalogued and titles are not searchable online, two years ago the late Sal Serio, curator of the collection, provided me with a list of their Oral histories and Interviews. Click below to view
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​​​These include names of some from Poggioreale and also from other Sicilian towns. Spellings of names will vary as we know them and other families of the same town may be mentioned in these histories. If you don’t locate your names, your family may have associated with some who are listed during their time in the New Orleans area and may be mentioned in those histories.
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Ms. Gwen Kelley, the librarian currently handling the collection, will scan and email transcribed oral histories at no charge or make a copy and mail them for 15 cents per page. The recorded oral histories are being transcribed. Her contact information is below.
Jefferson Parish Library - East Bank Regional Library
The American Italian Research Library
4747 W Napoleon Ave, Metairie, LA 70001 504-838-1190
https://www.jplibrary.net/east-bank-regional-library-headquarters
Ms. Gwen Kelley, Librarian
Hours:
Monday – Thursday 9 am – 9 pm
Friday & Saturday 9 am – 5 pm
Sunday 12 pm - 5 pm
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