Immigration from Itri, Italy to Cranston, Rhode Island, USA

Salvatore Mancini is a man of two worlds. The old world is his roots in the ancient Italian town of Itri, Italy where he was born. At the age of five he and his family emigrated to the new world of Cranston, Rhode Island, USA, where he spent most of his adult life.

Cranston is special because it is home to many of the Itrani who emigrated from Itri, Italy and who continue living in Cranston with their dual identity. In 1973, he returned to Itri to construct a visual photographic bridge between the two worlds that had nurtured him. He stayed in Itri for two years rediscovering his roots and documented the Itrani life. When he returned to Cranston he continued to photograph the local Itrani, focusing on the parallels of life carried over by the people in spite of dramatic cultural differences. Fifty years later he is still photographing these two communities. The first generation of immigrants have almost all passed away, but their descendants still maintain much of the old world memories and attachment to their patron saint St Mary.