Final answer:
Late 19th and early 20th century Italian immigrants to the U.S. mostly came from the southern regions of Italy and faced significant discrimination and prejudice in urban areas. They took on low-paying, dangerous jobs, and their perception was negatively influenced by stereotypes. Over time, with assimilation and contributions such as military service, these perceptions changed.
Step-by-step explanation:
During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, many Italian immigrants to the United States came from the southern regions of Italy, including Sicily. These southern Italian immigrants were primarily peasant farmers seeking better economic opportunities due to the push and pull factors such as famines, persecution, or avoidance of military service. Upon arrival in the United States, these immigrants often settled in urban northeastern cities, living in segregated slums, and worked in physically demanding and dangerous jobs such as construction and earth moving.
The perception of these Italian immigrants was negatively affected by these circumstances. They faced intense discrimination and were sometimes viewed as the dregs of Europe, having an impact on the so-called purity of the American race. The prejudice extended to acts of violence and lynching, notably akin to what African Americans suffered. However, over time, particularly after World War II, Italian Americans began to see themselves less in terms of their regional identities and more as Italian-Americans, assimilating into the broader culture and helping to form a common "white" identity among immigrants.