Michelina’s Letter

“The most we can ever hope for in life is to become a validation of sequence.” ~ Michelina. ~~ “A rare first-hand account by a 20th Century Italian immigrant to America.” Michelina Pirone Pisano was born in February of 1901. She wrote beautifully, “first-hand,” of what it was like growing up on the top of an Italian mountain, coming to America as a teen through Ellis Island, and establishing herself as a writer and self-made woman. Michelina’s life started at the very beginning of the last century and finished at the very end of it. And what a life! She was an immigrant girl of eighteen when she left her mountain village in Southern Italy and came through Ellis Island and became an American feminist – an intellectual even though being denied a formal education because of her gender. Michelina was a pseudo-Catholic who was kicked out of Italy for starting a book club for girls’ in her village contrary to the doctrines of the church. She took half of her book club with her to America. Michelina didn’t immigrate