The Madonna of 115th Street: Faith and Community in Italian Harlem, 1880-1950

In a masterful evocation of Italian Harlem and the men and women who lived there, Robert Orsi examines how the annual festa of the Madonna of 115th Street both influenced and reflected the lives of the celebrants. His prize-winning book offers a new perspective on lived religion, the place of religion in the everyday lives of men, women, and children, the experiences of immigration and community formation, and American Catholicism. This edition includes a new introduction by the author that outlines both the changes that Italian Harlem has undergone in recent years and significant shifts in the field of religious history. Awarded the Alpha Sigma Nu National Book Prize (sponsored by Jesuit colleges and universities in the United States) for outstanding book in the humanities. Winner of the 1986 American Catholic Historical Association’s John Gilmary Shea Prize.