A Brief History
Italians first arrived in the state of Arkansas during the moment of The Great Migration, beginning in the 1880s, roughly two decades after the Unification of Italy. The history of the Italian diaspora to Arkansas however is rather unique. Unlike the vast majority of Italian migrants who left southern Italy, the Italians who arrived in Arkansas were primarily from northern and central Italy, particularly the Veneto region. These Italian citizens originally came to the state between 1895 and 1897 as tenant farmers to work on the Sunnyside Plantation, located in Lake Village, Arkansas (Chicot County). When the Italians finally arrived, they were met with numerous issues. First, the newfound immigrants faced language barriers along with miscommunication regarding the hierarchical work structure emancipated slaves were given by the plantation owners, who were rarely onsite. Although the Italians did not have ill-will towards the emancipated slaves, they encountered direct problems including understanding cultural, religious, and linguistic scenarios. The Italian migrants were housed in poor conditions, physically and from a sanitary perspective, and were often faced with disease, particularly malaria. Once left in the field to work, they were presented with unknown farming techniques and contractual issues. Although not presented in history textbooks, it has been suggested that the migrants did in fact organize and were considered radicals by the plantation owners.
In 1898, under the mentorship of Father Pietro Bandini, who served as the plantation’s resident priest, roughly forty families left the Sunnyside Plantation in hopes of a better, more prosperous life in Northwest Arkansas. Fr. Bandini brought these newly arrived migrants to the Ozarks, which had a terrain more similar to the one they farmed in Italy as well as a climate more appealing to the Italians. In the early days, huts and sheds served to protect the families until they were able to build homes and later a true community. Fr. Bandini was dedicated to creating a successful migrant experience for the Italians and he pushed them to work hard and even promote education, as seen with the initiation of St. Mary’s Academy boarding and day school in 1906. Tontitown was incorporated in 1909 and Fr. Bandini was elected its first mayor in 1910. With the expansion of the Memphis and Kansas City railroads in 1912, the town and its farmers were able to establish roots and economic endeavors. Today, the Tontitown Italians continue to celebrate Fr. Bandini’s patron saint day each August with the Grape Festival. They have also established their own regional museum to celebrate their heritage.