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Birth and Childhood
My name is Lorenzo Scavo. I was seventeen years old and I was born in Valdamo, Italy. I was the oldest of eight. A few months before our journey to America, my father passed away. I had to become the head of the house. Life at home was hard. We had little to no money at all. Most nights we spent on the streets. We had hoped that living in America would open a new window of opportunities for us. So, I am writing this biography because I want my story to be told. -
My first time seeing the Statue of Liberty
My family and I were relieved to be in America. We thought that we would have something to gain. We really that we would be successful. I remember waking up on the boat, and seeing the greatest sight I have ever seen. It was the Statue of Liberty. It stood, tall and proud, representing the characteristics of the United States. For the first time in a long time we felt a sense of hope. -
Political Machine
After we finished the Ellis Island process, a tall man in a dark suit came up to me. He welcomed me to America and told me he would make a deal with me. He offered us a hot meal, a place to stay for a few weeks, and jobs for the ones old enough. I instantly agreed. He told me that he would do all of this stuff if we voted for his boss when election day came. (Political Machines) -
Ellis Island Process
Ellis Island InformationWhen we got to Ellis Island we were split up by gender. So, me and my 5 brothers waited in line. We waited for about 3 hours. When we went into the examination room, they asked us to sit down on some chairs. They checked our eyelids and made sure we didn't have any diseases. After we all passed the test, we met up with my 3 sisters and my mother. Then, we went to exchange the little money we had. When this was all over, we just stood outside and look at our future. -
Working on a skyscraper
I worked diligintley. I didn't get paid too much, but it was enough to pay the bills. The job was very dangerous. We were hundreds of feet in the air, and anyone could fall off at anytime. There were beams that were only about a foot wide. Since I was Italian, I experienced racism. I was thought to be unintelligent and unworthy. I suppose this made me a stronger person. -
Arrested for a crime
I was arrested. I was walking home from work one evening, when a bunch of police officers stopped me. They told me I was under arrest for murder. I just stood there, speechless. How could they of accused me of something like this? They took me into the police station and told me I was going to have to get a mug shot. I did as they said, and afterwards I was kept in a jail cell. The next morning they told me that a witness stated that I was not the suspect. So, they let me out.
