Records of Federazione Italiani Lavoratore Emigrati e Famiglie (F.I.L.E.F.)
Identifier(s): YMS 16923
Scope and contents
This collection includes organisational, administrative and membership records, encompassing paper files, registers, photographs, negatives, slides, reel-to-reel tapes, cassettes and video tapes of the Victorian branch of F.I.L.E.F. (Federazione Italiani Lavoratore Emigrati e Famiglie). Records reflect F.I.L.E.F.'s work with external organisations, including local councils and government departments; work of F.I.L.E.F. subgroups, including the Women's Group and Youth Group; documentation of conferences and public meetings; education programs run by or in conjunction with F.I.L.E.F.; and documentation of various initiatives and events, including: Anne Sgro's Children's Centre, the publication of volume "With Courage In Their Cases", and casework, including in relation to the deportation of Italian writer Ignazio Salemi. Collection also includes business records relating to bi-weekly newspaper, Nuovo Paese, oral history interviews and other audiovisual content, and Victorian Communist Party membership registers.
Dates
- Creation: 1930-2001
Creator
- Italian Federation of Emigrant Workers and their Families (Australia) (Organization)
Language of materials
Material in English and Italian.
Conditions governing access
Flexible base negatives and transparencies in BOX 60 - BOX 61: Restricted access to physical material.
Slides in BOX 63: Restricted access to physical material.
Audio and visual formats at TMS and in BOX 52 - BOX 53, BOX 64 - BOX 73: Restricted access to physical material.
Physical objects (metal plaque) in BOX 48/9: Restricted access.
Unprocessed digital materials in BOX 74: Restricted access. Please contact Ask a Librarian for more information.
Biographical / Historical
Established in 1972 primarily as a welfare organisation, Federazione Italiani Lavoratore Emigrati e Famiglie (F.I.L.E.F.) (also known as Italian Federation of Emigrant Workers and their Families), played a significant role in politicising Italian-Australian migrants, especially its Melbourne and Sydney branches. The organisation strongly encouraged the involvement of migrants in community activities and in migrant rights' organisations, holding strong links to the trade unions and the Communist Party, and attracted a strong Italian migrant left-wing membership. F.I.L.E.F. produced a monthly, then bi-weekly, newspaper, Nuovo Paese (New Country), from 1973 until the late 1980s, and played a role in the Italian language press; participated in the federally-funded Welfare Rights Officer Program; and was involved in pro-Australian Labor Party Initiatives during the Whitlam government. Its prominent members included ALP politicians Giovanni Sgro, Carlo Carli and Joe Caputo.
Full extent
10 linear metres (74 boxes)
Arrangement
Records have been divided into the following series: Series 1: Records of F.I.L.E.F.; Series 2: Photographs; Series 3: Audiovisual material. Series 1 is further sub-divided into sub-series: Sub-series A: Administrative records; Sub-series B: Work with external organisations; Sub-series C: Sub-groups of F.I.L.E.F.; Sub-series D: Conferences and public meetings; Sub-series E: Education programs; Sub-series F: F.I.L.E.F. initiatives and events; Sub-series G: Records relating to Nuovo Paese; Sub-series H: Community radio; Sub-series I: Miscellaneous records; Sub-series J: Translation work.
General note
Titles taken from original folders when possible. Titles devised by cataloguer indicated on finding aid.
- Title
- Guide to the Records of Federazione Italiani Lavoratore Emigrati e Famiglie (F.I.L.E.F.)
- Status
- Completed
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository details
Part of the Australian Manuscripts Collection, State Library Victoria Repository
328 Swanston Street
Melbourne Victoria 3000 Australia
03 8664 7002