Louisiana has a rich cultural heritage that has been shaped by its history, geography, and people. One of the most notable influences on the state's culture is its French roots, which are evident in its architecture, cuisine, and family names like "Thibodeaux" and "Hebert." Additionally, Louisiana is also known for its Creole, African, and Spanish influences, particularly in areas like the French Quarter.
However, there is another significant cultural influence in Louisiana that is often overlooked: its Italian population. According to Sam Hyde, the director of the Center for Southeast Louisiana Studies at Southeastern Louisiana University, Tangipahoa Parish is home to the largest rural Italian population in the United States. This population is concentrated in an 11-mile corridor from Amite down to Tickfaw, with Independence at the epicenter, also known as "Little Italy."
Italian immigration to Louisiana began during the Reconstruction era after the Civil War. Many Italians from Sicily and Southern Italy immigrated to New Orleans in search of work, as jobs were left open by freed slaves migrating out of the state. By the 1880s, there was a significant Italian labor force at New Orleans' ports and plantations. Some ambitious Italians moved up the railroad to work on farms in and around Independence, which was known as "Uncle Sam" until the 1850s.
Once Tangipahoa farmers discovered that the soil quality there gave strawberries a unique color and sweeter flavor, Italians flocked to the area to start their own farms. By the turn of the 20th century, Independence had developed a strong Italian and Catholic presence. Many Italian families developed their farms with the next generation, selling strawberries, bell peppers, and other crops at "truck farms" on the sides of busy roads, a tradition that still exists today.
However, Italians in Tangipahoa also faced discrimination and persecution from white Anglo-Saxon residents in other areas, particularly in Kentwood and Ponchatoula. In 1908, about 160 Italians lived in Kentwood and mostly worked at local lumber mills. Layoffs in the town created economic stress that led to persecution; a group of 12 men visited the town's Italian neighborhoods and demanded they leave by the following Saturday. If they didn't, the men said they'd be "blown up in their houses with dynamite." Twenty families fled, while the others stayed at the behest of then-Sheriff John Saal. The harassment continued until March of that year, when the Louisiana National Guard was sent in to protect the Italian communities. The threats against Italians in Kentwood continued as late as 1921.
Elsewhere in the parish, some Italian families continued to thrive and develop their farms, while others chose to start local businesses like banks and grocery stores. By 1910 to 1920, most businesses in Independence were Italian-owned. Italians also became a crucial voting bloc in parish and state elections by this time, and political candidates often made a point to campaign in that area.
Today, Tangipahoa's Italian-Americans celebrate their cultural history each year at the Sicilian Heritage Festival in Independence and the Italian Festival in Tickfaw. These festivals feature spaghetti eating contests, meatball tosses, live music, and parades. While population decline has been an issue for years in Louisiana's rural areas, and it's forecasted to worsen by economists, Italian culture is still very much alive in Tangipahoa. Younger generations may be leaving more often to move to Hammond, Loranger, or out of Tangipahoa Parish entirely, but festivals like these provide an opportunity for people to come together and celebrate their heritage.
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