Giovanni Braico, New York University
Arbëresh people migrated from various regions of the Balkans, including parts of present-day Albania, the Peloponnese, Epirus, and Attica, to mostly Southern Italy between the fourteenth and eighteenth centuries, and have preserved a distinct language and part of their religious customs since then. This lecture will present initial reflections on the further migration of the Arbëreshë to the United States, a historical phenomenon that has received limited attention in both scholarship and public memory. It will address key issues related to the nature and timing of this migration, the factors contributing to its marginal visibility, and the challenges involved in reconstructing Arbëresh American experiences. The lecture also examines what remains today of Arbëresh American identity, history, and cultural expression, while outlining perspectives and questions that guide ongoing research in this area.