Both sets of grandparents (and my father) came from Sicily in the 1920s. Although I am fairly sure they must have faced discrimination at some point, they NEVER discussed it with me. Then again, my father was very young and both my grandfathers passed away before I was born.
I DO know that most Italians that came to Grand Rapids Michigan, like my grandparents (some went to Detroit)did gather to their own neighborhoods, went to Italian parish churches and stuck together. Many of my relatives started their own businesses. My father and uncle (and some cousins) started in their own Dry Cleaning businesses. One Great Uncle had a shoe repair shop (remember those?). One grandfather worked for the railroad and one started his own convenience type store in Detroit before moving to Grand Rapids.
One of my favorite stories my father told me was when he started school in America. His parents spoke no English, and my father literally learned it from playing in the neighborhood and such. My father had to translate what my grandmother said to his teacher. My grandmother told my father, "You tell your teacher if you misbehave she has permission to spank you. AND if you come home crying because you got spanked, you'll get another spanking."
My dad explained how as a little kid he hated to tell the teacher that be of course did as he was told. LOL I can't even imagine that going over today.
Looking back I guess I was raised in a more positive atmosphere. I was taught to be a proud American and yet to have enormous pride in my heritage as well. I guess I've done the same with my kids.
TIS