Social Science

Dive into Cleveland’s deep past and return with a new vision for how we should think about the region today.

The land we call “northeast Ohio” was originally forged through eons of glacial pressure, geologic shifts, and the relentless movement of the Cuyahoga River. Since the last Ice Age, however, it has also been transformed countless times by the many people who have called it home.

In An Alternative History of Cleveland, Jon Wlasiuk uncovers the mysteries, devastations, and human incursions that have shaped the region. Here, you’ll encounter the giant megafauna that roamed the area until their mysterious extinction, Indigenous civilizations who first shaped the land and harnessed its natural resources, industrial pioneers like John D. Rockefeller and Charles Brush who corralled electricity and crude oil in the service of capitalist progress, the environmental devastation that polluted the Cuyahoga and caused toxic algae blooms in Lake Erie, and the numerous Clevelanders today who want to reshape the city’s relationship with the natural environment. Though separated by thousands of years, these stories contain a common theme: the city of Cleveland remains bound to nature, despite our best efforts to liberate ourselves from its limits.

Part natural history, part archeological essay, and part a contemporary call to arms to reclaim and rewild Cleveland’s future, this unforgettable trek into the heart of “the Land” will change the way you see the city forever.

The Ohio State Reformatory has a century long history of housing thousands of the most dangerous criminals, and the angry ghosts of the past still roam the corridors.

First opened in 1896, the Ohio State Reformatory intended to do what their name implied, to reform young offenders, but eventually came to house the most dangerous criminals in society. Built on a former Civil War camp ravaged by disease, one can only imagine the unease creeping through the cells and down the dark corridors, made famous as the backdrop for the The Shawshank Redemption. The prison grew to hold more than a thousand prisoners, suffering what were described as brutalizing and inhumane conditions. Ghost tour guide Sherri Brake escorts the reader on a tour of the dark and violent history of one of America's most notorious prisons, the spirits of these men still haunting these halls, forever searching for justice... or revenge.

Uncover the full extent of mayhem and madness locked away in one of history's most notorious maximum-security prisons.

As animal factories go, the Ohio Penitentiary was one of the worst. For 150 years, it housed some of the most dangerous criminals in the United States, including murderers, madmen and mobsters. Peer in on America's first vampire, accused of sucking his victims' blood five years before Bram Stoker's fictional villain was even born; peek into the cage of the original Prison Demon; and witness the daring escape of John Hunt Morgan's band of Confederate prisoners.

Cleveland’s neighborhood taverns are more than just places to grab a drink—they’re snapshots of the city’s history, rich with tales of community, celebration and even scandal.

Built by hardworking immigrants chasing the American Dream, these taverns were where workers cashed their paychecks, swapped stories, celebrated victories and sometimes witnessed late-night crimes. Family-run bars were often passed down through generations, becoming intertwined with the ever-changing face of the city. Although many did not survive the 1960s and ’70s, their memory lives on.

Native Clevelander and founder of My Cleveland History Tom Kaschalk honors the legendary watering holes that shaped Cleveland’s communities, hosted vibrant music scenes and served as the backdrop to both good times and life-changing events.

Part of Belt's Neighborhood Guidebook Series, The Cincinnati Neighborhood Guidebook is an in-depth look at the City of Seven Hills, written by the people who live and work there every day.Cincinnati, Ohio, is a complex mix of many different things: its present and its past, its transitions and its legacies; what defines it and distinguishes it; what makes people love it and what makes some eventually leave it. This collection, written by both lifelong Cincinnatians and recent transplants, offers a sampling of life there today--the tensions, debates, the life-and-death battles, and, not least of all, the joys that make this city so alive. It's a genuinely felt collection that offers a unique perspective on an evolving and energized city, a homegrown portrait showcasing the voices of people who know something about the way life feels--and why it feels that way--in their communities. It's about all the ways Cincinnati's differences are the very things that make the city so alive.

Here, you'll find stories that look at: How Mount Auburn changed in the aftermath of the police shooting of Samuel DuBose - The Catholic legacy in Mount Adams - A busy intersection in gentrifying Over-the-Rhine - The fading rural landscape of Camp Dennison - How life by the Ohio River defines and shapes life in Ludlow Edited by Nick Swartsell and with short essays by Gail Finke, Pauletta Hansel, Dani McClain, Ronny Salerno, Katie Vogel, and many others, this collection offers an intimate tour of the city's seven hills, its fifty-two neighborhoods, and its countless stories. Natives of Cincinnati will recognize both their streets and their histories, and readers from outside the city will get an unfiltered look at the locale known as The Queen City.

What started as an institution to reform young and non-violent criminals became one of the most infamous prisons in American history.

Before 1884, most first-time offenders between the ages of 16 and 30 were housed in the Ohio Penitentiary, where they were likely to be influenced by hardened criminals. That changed when the Ohio Legislature approved the building of a reformatory, a new type of institution that would educate and train these young men. Since its opening in 1896, the reformatory expanded its training programs and became a self-sustaining institution - the largest of its kind in the United States. By 1970, the reformatory had become a maximum-security prison filled with the most dangerous criminals in the U.S., with a death row but no death chamber. It closed on December 31, 1990, but preservation and restoration efforts are ongoing, and it continues to be as infamous today as in its heyday, appearing in numerous television shows and feature films, including The Shawshank Redemption.

Cincinnati played a large part in creatng a refuge for escaped salaves and in the Underground Railroad movement.

Nearly a century after the American Revolution, the waters of the Ohio River provided a real and complex barrier for the United States to navigate. While this waterway was a symbol of freedom and equality for thousands of enslaved black Americans who had escaped from the horrible institution of enslavement, the Ohio River was also used to transport thousands of slaves down the river to the Deep South. Due to Cincinnati's location on the banks of the river, the city's economy was tied to the slave society in the South. However, a special cadre of individuals became very active in the quest for freedom undertaken by African American fugitives on their journeys to the North. Thanks to spearheading by this group of Cincinnatian trailblazers, the ""Queen City"" became a primary destination on the Underground Railroad, the first multiethnic, multiracial, multiclass human-rights movement in the history of the United States.

The Youngstown story often is told with a beginning in iron and steel and ending in decay with a subplot driven by violent mobsters and corrupt politicians. Aiming to provide a more well-rounded examination of Youngstown, this collection of essays provides an authentic look at the city through a diverse set of experiences from the perspectives of those who have lived there. Readers will gain a sense of the past, present, and future of the city. Edited by Jacqueline Marino and Will Miller, the book features contributions by Christopher Barzak, Rochelle Hurt, Eric Murphy, Ed O’Neill, Sarah Sepanek, David Skolnick, Sarah Stankorb, C Lee Tressell, Jay Williams, Andrea Wood & 35 others.

Prior to the Civil War, thousands escaped slavery via the Underground Railroad. Untold others failed in the attempt.

These unfortunate souls were dragged into bondage via the Reverse Underground Railroad, as it came to be called. With more lines on both roads than any other state, the Free State of Ohio became a hunting ground for slavecatchers and kidnappers who roamed the North with impunity, seeking “fugitives” or any person of color who could be sold into slavery. And when they found one, they would kidnap their victim and head south to reap the reward.

David Meyers and Elise Meyers Walker, authors of Historic Black Settlements of Ohio, reveal not only the terror and injustice but also the bravery and determination born of this dark time in American history.

Cleveland's Little Italy's people, history and rebirth today can be found in these pages.

Developed in the late 19th century, Cleveland's Little Italy neighborhood, on the city's east side, was peopled with Italian artisans and craftsmen, many of whom were drawn to jobs carving monuments for the nearby Lake View Cemetery. The compact area relied on the local parish, Holy Rosary; charitable institutions, such as Alta House; and the cohesiveness of the neighborhood to sustain itself. It also produced a number of interesting favorite sons, including Angelo Vitantonio, the inventor of the pasta machine; championship boxer Tony Brush; and Anthony Celebrezze, Cleveland mayor, federal judge, and secretary of health, education, and welfare under Pres. John F. Kennedy and Pres. Lyndon B. Johnson. The area continued to grow until after World War II, when residents graduated from the old neighborhood to Cleveland's eastern suburbs. During the last 20 years, however, Little Italy has experienced a rebirth, and today the area combines Old World charm with a vibrant art scene, new housing, and a host of popular restaurants.

It is impossible to explore the history of Cincinnati without looking at the influence of German-Americans.

German Cincinnati is a pictorial history of the German-American experience in the Greater Cincinnati area: the people, places, and things that influenced that influenced this culturally rich city and made it what it is today. This book is a must-read for anyone with an interest in German-American or people Cincinnati history.

German immigrants first came to the region in the late 18th century and then arrived in great waves beginning in the early 19th century. These German American immigrants and their descendants have greatly influenced the social, political, cultural, religious, and economic growth and development of the area, earning Cincinnati a reputation for its German heritage. Today, nearly every other person in Cincinnati can trace some German lineage in their family tree. It is known as one of the corners in the famed German Triangle, along with St. Louis and Milwaukee. German Cincinnatians survived the hard times of the world wars of the last century, even experiencing an ethnic heritage revival that has reaffirmed the area's reputation as one of the major centers of German heritage in the United States today.

Join author Don Heinrich Tolzmann, curator of the German-Americana Collection and director of the German-American Studies Program at the University of Cincinnati, as he looks at the complex and prosperous history of German-Americans in Cincinnati.

The riveting story of Slovenian heritage in Cleveland, Ohio and how the culture remains relevant even today.

The Newburgh, St. Clair and Collinwood neighborhoods formed the core of Greater Cleveland's enormous Slovenian population, still the largest in America. The city's Slovenian heritage is replete with gripping tales of World War II prison camp escapes and bizarre bank robbers who threatened the St. Clair Savings institution. The catastrophic East Ohio Gas explosion and tragic Collinwood school fire are etched into local consciousness. The rise of neighborhood residents to professional sports stardom and national political prominence contribute to a proud legacy. And the century-old Cleveland style Slovenian polka remains an important cultural expression. Author Alan Dutka offers the first comprehensive history of the struggles and triumphs of Cleveland's Slovenians.

Believe in the Magic

The most wonderful time of the year has its own special meaning for those who grew up in the Queen City. The elves at Shillito’s and Pogie and Patter the talking reindeer were as integral to holiday merriment as caroling and eggnog. The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden really knows how to throw a Christmas party for people and animals, and WinterFest at Kings Island provides much-needed warmth in the winter chill. Many city squares display Christmas trees bathed in lights and offer horse-drawn carriages or a skating rink. But only Cincinnati offers Santa rappelling down the face of a building and an ice skating rink with bumper cars.

Join local author Wendy Hart Beckman for a merry jaunt through Yuletide years gone by.

Images of America: Italians of Stark Countyfocuses on Italian immigration into Stark County beginning in the late 1800s.

In the late 1800s, Stark County's urban hub of Canton and the surrounding communities were in the middle of a thriving expansion driven by industry, transportation, and manufacturing. Along with this growth came the need for labor, with immigration filling many of those needs. Italians came to Stark County to work in the steel mills, in the coal mines, and on the railroad, as well as to start their own small businesses. Once established, Italian families began to replicate the community foundations from their native land, and in turn these foundations reinforced embedded values: family, food, religion, music, and freedom.

This photographic history illustrates these values while bringing to life the character, work ethic, determination, and love of life of the Italian people of Stark County. Local author and Italian American J.A. Musacchia was born and raised in Stark County and is a member of the Sugarcreek Township Historical Societyand the William McKinley Presidential Library and Museum.

On Wednesday, November 5, 1930, Sunday Creek Coal Company Mine #6 at Millfield became the unenviable site of Ohio's worst coal mining disaster. Negligence caused an electrical spark to ignite accumulated methane and detonated untreated explosive dust. Within minutes 82 men were dead, 56 women became widows and 137 dependents found themselves fatherless. Approximately 120 men not in the direct line of blast and flame escaped. Miraculously, 19 others were found barely alive many hours after all were presumed dead. The tragedy could have been prevented if proper procedures had been followed and profit not put before worker safety. Author Ron Luce brings all of the facts together for the first time to tell the story of the Millfield Mine Disaster in full detail.

Randy Cunningham, founding member of the Cuyahoga County Progressive Caucus, details one of the greatest examples of mass civic and democratic education in Cleveland's history.

Democratizing Cleveland: The Rise and Fall of Community Organizing in Cleveland, Ohio, 1975-1985, is the result of almost fifteen years of research on the community organizing movement in Cleveland that put neighborhood concerns and neighborhood voices front and center. Cunningham, who has lived and worked in Cleveland for years, describes a thriving decade of social movements and community groups built around civil disobedience. Many of these groups, led by women, were able to unite predominantly white and black neighborhoods in a common cause. Cunningham walks us through the origin of community organizing and the movement's major campaigns and transitions, including:

- insurance and bank redlining

- community development and urban renewal programs

- the movement's decline during the Reagan administration.

Originally published in 2007 by Arambala Press, this important work is being reprinted by Belt Publishing for a new generation of activists, planners, urbanists, and organizers. It's a great reminder that activism is the pulse of democracy.

An indispensable guide for anyone interested in community organizing in Cleveland, but also the crucial role neighborhood organizing plays in cities across the United States.

Northern Ohio’s past is rich and deep, but it also has a darker and odder side.

A police chase for a UFO began in Portage County and stretched eighty-five miles from Ohio into Pennsylvania. Gangster Pretty Boy Floyd met his end in East Liverpool, and infamous serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer began his murderous career in Medina County. The region is also home to peculiar beings such as Orange Eyes, the Melonheads and the armless Charles Mill Lake Monster.

Join author James A. Willis as he forges a trail across Northern Ohio in search of all things eerie, inexplicable and just plain weird.

Scary, mysterious & just plain weird stories from Southern Ohio

The southern portion of the Buckeye State has long attracted its fair share of colorful characters and odd occurrences. Infamous bootlegger George Remus rose to power shortly after moving to Cincinnati. Roy Rogers, King of the Cowboys, was born and raised in southern Ohio. Some even say creatures not of this planet are drawn to the area, which has had numerous UFO sightings. In the same region, an unassuming university professor got away with murder, an eccentric built his version of a European castle using nearby river rocks, and a headless motorcycle ghost roams a rural roadway.

Ride along with author James A. Willis as he ventures into Southern Ohio in search of all things strange and spooky.

Historic, haunted, chilling tales of the town of Akron as told by one of Northeast Ohio's most respected paranormal investigators!

Run down the apparitions that float about Rubber Citystreets and façades like the shadow of a passing blimp. Stroll along forgotten canals amid the restless chatter and clank of spirits cut down before their hard lives became easier. Catch a show at the Civic Theater with a ""former"" engineer who prophesied that death wouldn't keep him from work. A more restive spirit is that of John Tedrow, a twenty-something mauled and murdered during a drunken brawl in 1882; he wails for help and resolution.

In this ghostly tour through Akron's haunted and sometimes brutal past, paranormal specialist and historian Jeri Holland digs into the ghost tales and local legends that linger here like this city's industrial heritage.

The story of these immigrants to northeastern Ohio and their role in the development of the Mahoning Valley is told through rare and vintage images.

To many people, the sight of a sky aglow with flame, clouds of smoke, and the smell of sulfur in the air would bring thoughts of sermons about brimstone, fire, and punishment for a life of sin. But Slovak immigrants fleeing poverty in Europe saw a picture of hope and prosperity as they came to the Mahoning Valley of northeastern Ohio in response to the promise of jobs and good pay in the steel mills. These mills stretched in an almost unbroken chain from Warren, Ohio, through Youngstown and Campbell and on into Sharon and Farrell, Pennsylvania. From the 1870s, when the first Slovaks came to this area, to the present, there is no part of American life in which these Slovak Americans have not thrived while living the American Dream.

Fascinating images of Cincinnati's African-American heritage.

Located on the banks of the Ohio River, Cincinnati was incorporated as a town in 1802. It became a major stop on the Underground Railroad and the gateway to the North for thousands of African Americans during the Great Migration after the Civil War. Cincinnati's African-American heritage is revealed here through images of African-American life in the community, churches, education, politics, entrepreneurship, civil rights, community benevolence and sports.

Behind Put-in-Bay's breathtaking scenery and wild nightlife is a side of the island that will make your hair stand on end.

Passersby claim to see the ghost of assistant lighthouse keeper Sam Anderson, who jumped to his death in the turbulent water of Lake Erie during an 1898 smallpox outbreak. Doors open and close of their own accord, and some say a spirit named Benny tosses things around at the Put-in-Bay Brewery and Distillery. Stage actor T.B. Alexander married the granddaughter of famous abolitionist John Brown and became one of the island's most noted mayors. His ghost is said to linger in the historic barroom of T&J's Smokehouse. Author William G. Krejci hosts this tour of the darker aspects of island life.

Through a collection of images, Cleveland Slovaks show their neighborhoods and family life and give readers an appreciation of the community's legacy.

Cleveland's Slovaks can best be characterized as survivors. Many survived ethnic persecution and poverty so they could have a chance at something better. Beginning with a small core of immigrants seeking work above ground rather than in the coal mines of neighboring states, Cleveland's Slovak community grew through a giant chain migration. Their neighborhoods flourished close to their jobs and their churches. Many of the ancestors of today's Slovaks came to the United States classified as Hungarians. In their hearts, though, they knew what they were and what language they spoke. They held onto their native language even as they learned English and unwaveringly encouraged their children to strive for the opportunity America offered. According to the 2000 census, 93,500 northeast Ohioans claim Slovak heritage.

Nadine McIlwain and Geraldine Radcliffe reveal the celebrated legends, unsung heroes and historic firsts of African Americans residing in the Canton community.

From Canton’s earliest days, the black population has contributed to the city’s, and even the nation’s, prominence and prosperity. During World War II, nineteen-year-old Harold White joined the famed Tuskegee Airmen of the Ninety-Ninth Fighter Squadron. Only a few years later, Dorothy White persevered through prejudice to become Canton’s first black teacher, paving the way for a long line of dedicated teachers stretching to the present day. Renowned R&B group the O’Jays formed in Canton, and professional golfer Renee Powell is just one of many local athletes to reach the heights of her profession.

In Wicked Women of Northeast Ohio, author Jane Ann Turzillo recounts the misdeeds of ten dark-hearted women who refused to play by the rules.

They unleashed their most base impulses using axes, guns, poison and more. You'll meet Perry's Velma West, a mere slip of a girl who was unfortunately too near a hammer during an argument. New Philadelphia's Ellen Athey, no lady herself, had a similar problem with an axe. Ardell Quinn, who operated the longest-running brothel in Cleveland, would simply argue that she was a good businesswoman. Grim? Often. Entertaining? Deliciously so.

Authors Beth A. Richards and Chuck L. Gove of Haunted Cleveland Ghost Tours share the chilling tales of the city's spectral past.

Many of Cleveland's dearly departed haunt the Forest City to this day. A spirit lingers in the ballroom, and a little girl cries on the third floor of Franklin Castle, the most haunted site in the city. The man in the green hat will not leave the stage at the Palace Theater. Chief Joc-O-Sot still wanders Erie Cemetery centuries after his death, unable to rest in his grave, while a phantom in full Civil War uniform paces inside the Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument.

The photographs in Cleveland Czechs give readers a glimpse of those neighborhoods and their importance to Cleveland's history.

Cleveland's Czech community is one of the area's oldest European ethnic groups, with a presence in the area even before the Civil War. It is almost a geographical accident that Czechs arrived in Cleveland, where they would have stopped on the way to Czech or Bohemian communities in Nebraska, Iowa, and Wisconsin. From 1850 to 1870, the Czech community grew from 3 families to 696, according to The Encyclopedia of Cleveland History. Many found work making barrels for John D. Rockefeller's fledgling Standard Oil Company, while others found their way in professional life, including the arts. Their neighborhoods show their migration from Cleveland's central city to its outlying areas and suburbs including neighboring Geauga County. Today they continue to support three Czech halls and participate in the Czech gymnastic movement-Sokol.

A part of Belt's City Anthology Series, this collection explores Akron, Ohio's past and what may happen there in the future. A portrait of the city's rich, mysterious, odd-leaning inner life.

Between 1910 and 1920, Akron was the fastest growing city in the United States, tripling in size and exploding from a population of 69,000 to 208,000. Its period of rapid growth coincided with the expansion of the rubber and tire industry, which in turn corresponded with that of the automobile industry. But since the mid-1970s, industry has abandoned Akron, and the city has lost 31 percent of its population. Once opulent neighborhoods are now swaths of abandoned homes, and the factories that made Akron the Rubber Capital of the World lie dormant.

Edited by Jason Segedy, and bringing together established writers like Rita Dove and David Giffels with the work of emerging voices, The Akron Anthology collects essays, poems, and photographs from the writers, artists, and activists who call Akron home. Here you'll find stories that include:

- The diaries of a doorman

- The trials and triumphs of refugees who have relocated to the city

- A portrait of Jamie Stillman, world-renowned effects pedal manufacturer

- Archie the talking snowman.

Providing readers with diverse group of voices, this collection offers an intimate look at a storied Ohio city.

Make sure the flashlight is on for these historic, haunted, chilling tales of the town of Willoughby as told by one of Northeast Ohio's most respected paranormal investigators.

Willoughby, a historic town located 20-miles east of Cleveland, has a chilling history sure to engage everyone from the most casual reader of ghost stories to the most dedicated paranormal researcher. Welcome to Willoughby Cemetery, where the Girl in Blue's restless spirit lingers near her grave, waiting to engage even the most skeptical visitors. Enter Willoughby Coal & Supply Company at your own risk and delve into the mysterious death of owner Don Norris in 1947. Meet Zip, whose spirit continues to watch over the building and, according to local legend, guards a hidden treasure to this day. Face the menacing apparitions that peer from the building's darkened windows at night for all of the locals to see. From ancient Whittlesey legends, and echoes of events that have shaped the course of the town, to tales of the tragic and bizarre, Haunted Willoughby, Ohio combines folklore, local legends and mysteries, first-person accounts, historical facts, and archival and contemporary images to capture the city's supernatural past and present.

A must for any ghost hunter or lover of tales of historic haunts, join local expert Cathi Weber, who has led countless investigations around Lake County and is the founder of Willoughby Area Paranormal Education and Research Society, as she explores the traditions, spooky heritage and true stories that are part of Willoughby's high-spirited history.

Italians in Columbus have established a thriving community based on the tenets of ""Faith, Family, and Friends.""

At the beginning of the last century, there were just over 11,000 Italians in Ohio. While many of the earliest immigrants settled along Lake Erie, a growing number ventured south to the state capital, a city located at the confluence of the Scioto and Olentangy Rivers and named for a famed Italian explorer. Importing the rich traditions of the old country, Columbus Italian families stayed close to each other, living in great concentrations on St. Clair Avenue and in the Flytown and Bottoms neighborhoods, Grandview Heights, Marble Cliff, and San Margherita. The generations of families who once called these Italian enclaves home have now largely dispersed but still form a community--colorful, hardworking, and fiercely loyal--bonded by the three most basic principles of Italian culture and the theme of the Columbus Italian Festival: ""Faith, Family, and Friends.""

Located north of Cincinnati in the Mill Creek Valley, Lincoln Heights was the first African American self-governing community north of the Mason-Dixon Line.

The development of Lincoln Heights began in 1923 when the Haley-Livingston Land Companyof Chicago sold lots to black families in an unincorporated area called the Cincinnati Industrial Subdivision, now the southern section of Lincoln Heights.

Water and sewerage were provided by special assessment through the Works Progress Administration, there were no building and zoning code services, fire and police protection were virtually nonexistent, and street maintenance and lighting were extremely inadequate. In 1939, residents of the area began efforts to incorporate so they could provide safety and necessary services for their growing community. Several of the original petitioners for incorporation lived in the Valley View subdivision, which later became the Wright Aeronauticalplant, where many black migrants from the South came to help manufacture the famous B-29 bomber.

Stroll along silent corridors of an abandoned asylum and linger among graves of Civil War dead—and discover the eerie ends of Stark County's departed souls.

Ghostly diners, violent crimes of passion, phantoms peering from theatre balconies, canal workers who still walk the towpaths—the haunted history of Stark County includes characters and legends as bizarre as they are terrifying. Take a bone-chilling journey with Sherri Brake, owner of Haunted Heartland Tours, as she recounts tales of superstitious pioneers and the horrors of the great influenza epidemic of 1918.

VIew Cincinnati via photography and the history of the Italians that began immigrating and populating the area since the 1800s.

Italians of Greater Cincinnati focuses on the Italian immigration into the Cincinnati area beginning in the early 1800s. The northern Italians were the first to arrive, followed by those in the south of Italy, including Sicily. In the spring of 1892, plans were being made to build a Catholic church for the estimated 4,000 Italian immigrants. In 1897, two biological Italian immigrant sisters, who had joined the religious order of the Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati, Sr. Blandina and Sr. Justina Segale, began their life's work with the poor immigrants living in the Cincinnati area. Today descendants of these early immigrants, as well as those who arrived in the 20th century, continue to celebrate their rich Italian heritage through social clubs and community involvement. The photographs contained in this volume detail the lives of the Italians as they strived to become Americans.