Italians in the Deep South: Their Impact on Birmingham and the American Heritage

Fede (Fee-dee) was raised in Birmingham's Little Italy. He tells us how labor shortages drew Italian immigrants to Birmingham's coal and steel industries. These new Americans quickly became farmers, grocers, and merchants, and the next generation became doctors, bankers, and lawyers. Their collective history helped shape the culture of the growing city, which was enriched by their contributions to religion, sports, art, commerce, and politics.