Between the Lines. Imprinting the Italo-Eritreans’ Typographic Legacy in the Horn of Africa

This article contributes to the expanding body of scholarship investigating the relations between the printing industry in the Horn of Africa and the vocational training provided by missionaries to Italo-Africans. It traces the role of various foreign actors in the establishment of the printing industry in the region. The study focuses on Italo-Eritreans, born to Italian fathers and African mothers, who received vocational training in printing, cutting, and bookbinding at the Istituto San Giuseppe in Asmära. Despite facing racial stigma during and after Italian colonialism, they succeeded in both the Eritrean and Ethiopian labour markets. Moreover, when they moved to Ethiopia in the Fifties and Sixties, they used their skills to become entrepreneurs and achieve socio-economic mobility. By examining personal and professional trajectories, this article highlights the importance of vocational training in shaping the careers and identities of Italo-Eritreans, who played a pivotal role in modernising the printing industry in Ethiopia. It also sheds light on how Italo-Eritreans have managed to rehabilitate their socio-economic status in an ever-changing environment.