Milwaukee's Italian Heritage: Mediterranean Roots in Midwestern Soil

The shores of Lake Michigan might seem a far cry from the coastline of the Mediterranean, even for a country famous for its opera singers. Nevertheless, enough Italians responded to the call—and returned home to repeat it confidently to brothers, brides and strangers—to create a thriving community in Milwaukee. Historians often emphasize Milwaukee's German heritage, content to relegate the story of Italian migration to New York or Chicago, but Anthony Zignego passionately explores the ways ...