Book excerpt: Italian immigrants flocked to America beginning in the mid-1800s unaware of the hardships ahead, much like the harsh conditions they left behind in Italy. Despite discrimination, scarce employment, hunger, and drudgery, they courageously established trades, businesses, parishes, and solid family life in neighborhood enclaves nearly identical to their native villages. Close to two centuries later, Baltimore's thriving Italian community marvels at the grit and backbone of their families in their conquest of Americanization. Fortified by love of today's famiglia, food, traditions, faith, and close-knit community, Baltimore Italians celebrate their ethnicity while honoring those before them. These captivating photographs--cherished and generously shared by families of Baltimore's Italian immigrants--offer a brief yet fascinating insight into some of their rich history: who came from which village, how they paved the way, the jobs they worked, how they grew up, and the bravery displayed as they fought in wars for the United States. They did not sacrifice their birthright to become American; instead, they humbly added to it and called themselves Italian Americans.