Italian Children Kidnapped for Slave Labor, 1873
Entitled: "In the 1870's New Yorkers became aware that young Italian boys were being kidnapped or purchased in Italy and brought to new york to make a living for their masters by begging on the streets." There were thousands of Italian street urchins, playing musical instruments and begging for pennies in America during the winter of 1873. Between 7,000 and 8,000 children were kidnapped from Italy and kept as slaves in America's biggest cities. The children were sold at private auctions for $100 to $300 for boys; and $100 to $500 for girls. Enslaved by their masters, they were given rudimentary lessons on the triangle, violin or harp and then sent out daily as street musicians. The children lived in dreary quarters, under the rule of their padroni. They would be given a small piece of black bread or some pasta; sent out into the streets and ordered not to return home until their quota of fifty to eighty cents was met-or they would be beaten. Illustration appeared in Harper's Weekly, September 13, 1873.
Size: 4500px × 3029px
Photo credit: © Photo Researchers / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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