Images of America: Italians in Chicago

Italians have been a part of the Chicago community since the 1850s. The city’s Italian immigration rate peaked in 1914, and many of these new residents settled in neighborhoods on the north, west, and south sides of the Loop and in the industrial suburbs of Chicago. An intriguing visual tour, Italians in Chicago explores the lives of over four generations of the community’s residents and experiences. In over 200 images accompanied by an insightful narrative, this collection uncovers the challenges of migration and ethnic survival as well as the trials and triumphs of daily life.