This is Frederico and he lived in Sicily until 1910. He worked as a farm laborer along with many other people. Everyone where he lived faced extreme poverty.

This is his family! His wife is named Maria. He has one daughter named Anna who is 4 years old and his wife is currently pregnant.

Due to poverty in Italy Frederico wanted to immigrate to America in hopes of creating a better life for his wife, child and baby on the way.

Frederico traveled by himself leaving his daughter and pregnant wife in Italy.

Taking a boat in third class was the cheapest way for him to get to America and start his new life. The boat that Frederico traveled on was called the Regina D'italia.

The trip from Italy to America was a 4000 mile journey and the conditions were not the greatest. The ships were crowded and dirty.

When he arrived at Ellis Island he was taken into rooms for medical and legal examination.

He was inspected for medical conditions. Frederico passed his inspection.

After the medical inspection immigrants had to pass a 32 question interview to determine if they will be allowed in America. Most Italian immigrants were very nervous to take this test even though very few Italian immigrants were denied entry.

Once in America, Frederico got a bakery job that hired unskilled workers. He worked for a low wage but it was enough to pay for necessities.

The new immigrants were immediately housed in tenement houses that were typically 4 to 6 stories high and divided into small apartments. The poor Italian immigrants all lived close together forming an area they called "Little Italy." Here they shared a common language, culture, heritage and history.

Two months after he arrived in the US, Frederico's first son was born in Italy. His name was Michelangelo.

Four years later in 1914 Frederico was financially stable enough that his wife Maria and his two children were able to join him in America.