The Palazzi Community Center recently hosted a book presentation on ​Antonella Bertoli's book, "Jessie White: Storia d'amore, di lotta e di passione," or "Jessie White: A Story of Love, Struggle, and Passion." Bertoli was joined by a panel of historians and readers to accompany her in turning the book reading into an educational and authentic experience.

The book tells the story of Jessie White, an often forgotten yet integral figure in the Italian Risorgimento. In the time period, women contributed greatly to the cause of uniting Italy but were never given the recognition they deserved. 

“When researching this period, I found that no female names were highlighted,” Bertoli said. “This was the perfect opportunity to bring attention to one of them.” White, she discovered, was not just a witness to history but an active participant in it. She was involved in Italy’s first workers’ strike in 1862 and played a significant role in the independence movement. Yet, despite her contributions, she had been almost entirely forgotten.

Bertoli became interested in White when she learned that they both spent the majority of their lives in the same region of Italy. Even though White was an English woman, she dedicated her life to helping the Italian community, deeply resonating  with Bertoli. 

“She was a woman of my town,” Bertoli said. “A woman whose name was missing from history, even though she had given so much to it.” This connection fueled Bertoli’s determination to tell White’s story in a way that would resonate with modern readers and inspire future generations. “These women made history with a capital ‘H,’” she said. “And yet, they have been completely forgotten.”

Bertoli made the creative choice to tell the story of White through her own letters and writings. This allows White to inadvertently tell the story through her own lens, which is often taken away from women of that time period. In order to achieve accuracy, Bertoli completed extensive research about every aspect of White's life.

“I wanted to step into Jessie’s shoes,” Bertoli explained. “To think like her, to feel like her, and to write as if I were her.” This method required extensive research. “In order to write this book, I had to document myself thoroughly,” she said. “I read everything that was written about Jessie White, about the Risorgimento, and about the independence wars. I wanted to make sure I didn’t make any historical mistakes.”

This also makes for a much more personal experience for the reader. Rather than creating another simple biography, Bertoli wanted the reader to personally resonate with White and sympathize with her struggles. “I didn’t want to write just another historical essay,” she said. “I wanted people to hear Jessie’s voice, to understand her thoughts and her struggles firsthand.” By structuring the book as a diary, Bertoli allows readers to experience White’s journey in an intimate way, making her story more powerful and immediate.

This book is part of a bigger initiative of Bertoli's to combat women’s erasure in history. There is a long history of women not being credited for their contributions made in Italy and across the world. Bertoli wrote the book to give important women in Italian history the recognition they deserve. Across different cultures, women who fought for change have been left out of the history books,” she said. “By telling these stories, we can create a more complete and inclusive account of history.” She hopes that future historians and writers will continue to uncover and highlight the contributions of women who have been overshadowed.

“We read history to understand how we can change the present.” She believes that learning about figures like Jessie White can inspire people today to take action and make a difference in their own ways. “Jessie was not born into privilege or power,” she said. “She was just a woman who chose to fight for what she believed in. And that’s something we can all learn from.”  

Bertoli believes that White’s story is a perfect example that any type of person from any walk of life can contribute something great to society. This allows us to be inspired about how we are able to make actionable change in our world today.