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Oral history
,
cassette tape
Peggy England, Fran Sawyer, and Donna Rothe Oral History, 2003
Zahller, Alisa Michelle Sawyer, 1969-
Date Made, January 6, 2023, Date of original interview.
Italian American
,
Colorado Italian-Italian American Collection
,
Sawyer, Frances Lucille Carpenter, 1943-
,
Rothe, Donna Lee Vesco, 1944-
,
England, Margaret "Peggy" Susan Northway, 1945-
,
North Denver High School
,
Iannacito Family
,
Carpanzano Family
,
Garramone Family
,
Vesco Family
,
Boarding House
,
USWest
,
Immigration
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Catholic church
,
Marriage
,
Family
,
women's history
,
Feminists
,
Technology
,
Welby, Colorado
,
Denver, Colorado
,
friendship
,
DiGiacomo Family
Physical description: Interview with three women that grew up together in Denver's Little Italy and surrounding area. See attached index for additional information.
Original on two audiotape cassettes in cases. Cassette 1, side A has a length of 31 minutes, 50 seconds. Cassette 1,side B has a length of 31 minutes, 50 seconds. Cassette 2, side A has a length of 31 minutes, 52 seconds. Cassette 2, side B has a length of 15 minutes, 59 seconds. Transferred to one mp3 file for access. Clip of access file attached. Full digital version available on SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/historycolorado/peggy-england-fran-sawyer-and-donna-rothe-oral-history-ciapaoh056
Project description:
In 2002, the Colorado Historical Society (now known as History Colorado) founded the Colorado Italian American Preservation Association (CIAPA). A volunteer organization, CIAPA’s mission is to work collaboratively with the Society and other organizations to develop, support and coordinate projects that preserve, promote and celebrate Italian American culture and heritage. Since 2002, CIAPA has carried out its mission by meeting with people from the Colorado Italian American community, recording their stories and creating an archive of research materials that includes oral histories, photographs, moving images, sound recordings and artifacts. To date, CIAPA has helped the Society acquire over 200 oral histories, 600 artifacts and nearly 6,000 photographs. Since 2002, CIAPA has developed over 4,000 research files, all of which document the history, culture and traditions of Italian American families in Colorado.
Interview summary:
This interview was conducted on June 19, 2003 at the home of Fran Sawyer. The interviewees were Fran Sawyer, Peggy England, and Donna Rothe, interviewed by History Colorado staff member Alisa Zahller. The interview begins with the three interviewees briefly outlining when their families, mostly through their grandparents, first arrived to the United States from Italy. Their families largely arrived in the early 1900s; Peggy’s family became farmers in Welby, while Donna’s had a boarding house business. All of the interviewees went to North High School, and had remained friends for over fifty years after graduating in the 1950s. Much of the interview involves the women recalling their experiences of friendship throughout their high school years, and the various family and community structures they were part of growing up. The three women also recall various Italian traditions they experienced growing up, including Catholic beliefs, marriage expectations, visiting extended family, and family hierarchy and leadership.
The last half of the interview focuses extensively on the women’s views on issues such as familial roles, work, women’s rights, and technological change, and how all these things compare between their time starting their own families, and today. Much of this includes discussion of their work at a telephone company, the feminist movement of the 1970s, their families during childhood and after marriage, and what they think present American society should learn from the close-knit Italian community of their youth.
Notes:
See MSS.02595 Peggy England, Fran Sawyer, and Donna Rothe files for additional information and images.
See the record for Mss.02595 for full project details including how the oral history project came to be and full index of project participants.
[Tape 1 case]
The Colorado Historical Society
Preserving Colorado Communities: The Italians of Denver
Interview with Peggy England, Fran Sawyer & Donna Rothe
Alisa Zahller, interviewer
| File Name |
CIAPA OH 056 Peggy English, Fran Sawyer, Donna Rothe Clip |
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| Notes |
Property of History Colorado. May not be reproduced or used without permission. Participant release forms on file. Cite as: CIAPA.OH.056 (2014.150), History Colorado.
For access to the full interview please submit a request.
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| File Name |
Interview index |
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| Source |
MSS.2595 Fran Sawyer, Donna Rothe and Peggy England files |
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| Notes |
This index is property of History Colorado. If any portion of the index is used, cite as History Colorado index CIAPA.OH.056. |
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