In 2019, the Los Angeles neighborhood of San Pedro—located along the waterfront adjacent to the Port of Los Angeles, the largest port in the United States—was officially designated “Little Italy” by the Los Angeles City Council. Ethnic neighborhood designations such as Chinatown, Little Tokyo, and Little Armenia are not meant to discriminate or segregate. Rather, they recognize the communities that historically shaped these areas and contributed to their development.
In many cases, these districts function as living museums, preserving the memory of populations that may no longer form the majority but whose cultural imprint remains foundational. They are a way for communities to say: “We were once here. We helped build this.” At the same time, modern America is not segregated. Restrictive housing covenants are illegal, and anyone can live in any neighborhood regardless of its name. You do not have to be Chinese to live in Chinatown, nor Italian to live in San Pedro’s Little Italy. However, residents and visitors alike are encouraged to learn about and respect the history of these communities—adding their own stories while helping preserve the cultural heritage that came before them.
The designation of San Pedro as Little Italy was not without controversy. Like much of Los Angeles—and indeed the United States—San Pedro has long been ethnically diverse. While Italians were highly visible, another major presence was Croatian. Historian Richard Foss addressed this complexity in Random Lengths News, noting that although a significant Italian community existed, the Croatian community had also played a major role. He further observed that in the 19th century, Angelenos often grouped coastal Croatians with Italians due to shared language and culture. Before Italian unification in 1871, Italian identity was often linguistic rather than national, and many coastal Croatians spoke Italian and shared culinary and maritime traditions. In San Pedro, the two communities—both Catholic and deeply involved in the fishing industry—were intertwined from the beginning.
This layered heritage mirrors other California neighborhoods. Just as San Diego’s Little Italy included Portuguese and other immigrant groups, San Pedro was home to Croatians, Portuguese, and many others alongside Italians. While the Little Italy designation recognizes the Italian contribution, it is not intended to erase the presence or importance of these other communities. In fact, Croatian heritage remains an essential part of San Pedro’s identity.
There is still a visible Italian American presence in San Pedro today, including organizations such as the Italian American Club, the Trappeto Club, and Mary Star of the Sea Church, along with historic Italian-linked businesses like A-1 Grocery and Marabella Winery—though notably, some lie outside the current Little Italy boundaries. The designation therefore acknowledges a historic influence while encouraging broader cultural recognition.
Ironically, Italian culture—once marginalized and sometimes openly discriminated against—is now widely celebrated. Today, “Little Italy” also serves as a cultural and economic branding tool, helping attract visitors and investment to an area experiencing renewal and redevelopment. As local leaders have emphasized, Little Italy of Los Angeles is meant to be inclusive: all are welcome, and all cultures—especially those historically rooted in the neighborhood, including the Croatian community—are encouraged to share and celebrate their heritage.
When visiting Southern California, Little Italy of Los Angeles offers an opportunity not only to explore Italian American history in San Pedro, but also to appreciate the broader multicultural story of the harbor area. It stands as a reminder that American neighborhoods are shaped by many hands—and that preserving these layered histories helps keep the full story alive.
Grazie! Auguri!
-Christopher Forte, The Italian Californian
In 2019, I attended the official unveiling of the Little Italy San Pedro gateway sign and after a year and a half of the pandemic, I was able to attend the first big in-person event in that neighborhood, Festa Italiana that was held on Saturday, October 2nd, 2021. Below are videos of those two events.
Commemoration of the Official Designation of Little Italy Los Angeles and Sign Unveiling 2019:
Los Angeles City Councilmember along with Former Assemblyman now Little Italy of Los Angles Association Chair Mike Gatto Welcomes Guests to Festa Italiana and Awards the Night's Honorees, October 2nd, 2021:
Links: Little Italy Association of Los Angeles
Photos of Festa Italiana 2021:
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