Final answer:
The Second Wave of immigration for Southern Italians involved facing significant discrimination and living in segregated communities initially. Over time, through cultural assimilation, evidenced by socioeconomic growth, language adoption, and intermarriages, Italian Americans became an integrated part of American society, especially after their contributions to World War II.
Step-by-step explanation:
The process of immigration during the Second Wave, particularly for Southern Italians, was marked by a complex interaction with the existing American culture. Despite facing discrimination and prejudice, and living in isolated neighborhoods like Little Italy, over time, Italian Americans began to embrace cultural assimilation. This was a gradual process where they started to adopt the characteristics of the dominant American culture.
According to Myers (2007) ,Italian-Americann assimilation is 'almost complete, but with remnants of ethnicity.' After significant contributions to American society, notably their participation in World War II, and the arrival of new immigrant groups, Italians achieved greater acceptance. Assimilation involves several aspects including socioeconomic status, spatial concentration, language assimilation, and intermarriage, which Italian Americans experienced quite thoroughly over time.