Italian Americans of Greater Erie

The migration of Italians to the area began in 1864 with Raffaele Bracaccini, who was attracted by the beauty of Lake Erie and the countryside. By 1938, Erie's 18,000 Italians comprised the third largest ethnic group. Erie had its own Italian language newspaper from 1915 to 1940. St. Paul's Church was built with the contributions of Italian immigrants. Columbus School, Columbus Park, and Rose Memorial Hospital were established. Societies and businesses flourished. This book contains more than 200 photographs collected from local families representing the collective memory and history of Erie's Italian community from the 1860s to the 1950s.

Sandra S. Lee, Ph.D., professor and research associate in the Alberto Institute of Italian Studies at Seton Hall University, authored Italian Americans of Newark, Belleville, and Nutley. An Erie native, she has lectured widely on Italian immigration. A historian and retired teacher, Mary Lou Scottino's interest in Italian culture stems from her husband's heritage, as well as from her volunteer work teaching English to immigrants from Italy, Bosnia, Ukraine, Iraq, and Russia. Norma Palandro Webb, born of Italian immigrant parents in Erie's Little Italy, is active in Erie's Italian American Women's Association. She chaired the Erie County Historical Society's exhibit on Italians in 2003.