Born: September 5, 1943
Occupation: Owner of MalCo Electronics, 5 Wolcott Ave., Lawrence, MA 01843, (978) 685-4383
Ethnic Background: Italian
Interviewer: Mary Armitage
Comments: Joseph Musumarra is a third generation Italian-American. The interview is mainly about his maternal grandfather who used "working in the mills" merely as a stepping stone to starting his own business (masonry), and eventually to buying land to farm for produce for his family and to sell. He also acquired land on which he built real estate. His sons also acquired land and subsequently MalCo Electronics was established on that property. This tape could be used to compare the pastoral/agrarian Italian immigrant, who had a trade, with the immigrant who stayed in the mills all his life. Also to compare the work ethic of that time to the work ethic today.
A copy of the transcription of this tape is in the time capsule at the Senior Citizens Center on Haverhill St. (as of February 1998).
Collection
Lawrence History Center Oral History Collection
https://lawrencehistory.org/files/audio/oh/2007.500.383-jmusumarra.mp3
Date (created)
1993-04-07