Our Italian Legacy: Milwaukee Italians

Mike Palmisano Part Two - Palmisano Family History

In this two part episode, I am speaking with Mike Palmisano, past president of the Italian Community Center and son to August Palmsiano, a Sicilian American Milwaukee business owner in the 3rd ward. A young man in my opinion, shares his family’s history with impressive detailed information and a passion for food, education, how he found his career path, soccer and much more. In part one, Mike shares many memories and background information on his family as well families who lived and worked on commission row in the 3rd ward. In part two, Mike shares more memories and talks a great deal about food and even gives hints to family recipes. We hope you enjoy!

Mike Palmisano - Part One of the Palmisano Family Story

In this two part episode, I am speaking with Mike Palmisano, past president of the Italian Community Center and son to August Palmsiano, a Sicilian American Milwaukee business owner in the 3rd ward. A young man in my opinion, shares his family’s history with impressive detailed information and a passion for food, education, how he found his career path, soccer and much more. In part one, Mike shares many memories and background information on his family as well families who lived and worked on commission row in the 3rd ward. In part two, Mike shares more memories and talks a great deal about food and even gives hints to family recipes. We hope you enjoy!

Giuseppe Balistreri- Italian Oral History Project 1991 Milwaukee, WI

Giuseppe’s parents came from Sant'Elia, province of Palermo, Sicily, to America around 1900. Although Giuseppe was born in Milwaukee, his family later returned to Sicily until he was twelve. Back to America, Giuseppe found it difficult to learn English in school, where his attendance was limited by his full time work in various jobs. At a young age Giuseppe decided he wanted to become a singer, and discusses how he started music schooling in Milwaukee, Chicago, and Italy. He returned to the U.S. in 1939 and worked as a music instructor in New York and Hollywood for nearly 50 years before returning to Milwaukee. In this episode, we will be hearing from Giuseppe Balistrieri being interviewed by Diane Vecchio, past professor at the University of WI-Milwaukee. Diane and Larry Baldassaro, both professors at UW-Milwaukee, lead a project called Oral History of Italians in Milwaukee. We were able to acquire these oral recordings and will be featuring them monthly in our podcast series. We are working with the families to continue the oral history where the families left off when this project was completed in 1991. Here is some background information on the project. In 1991, the UW-Milwaukee Department of French and Italian conducted the “Oral History of Italians in Milwaukee” project, a collection of interviews concerning Italian American life in early 20th century Milwaukee. It was funded by a grant from the Wisconsin Humanities Committee and co-sponsored by the Italian Community Center, the project was directed by Larry Baldassaro, now Professor Emeritus of Italian at UWM. He and Diane Vecchio, now Professor of History at Furman University, conducted 20 interviews with Italian immigrants to Milwaukee and children of early immigrants. The fascinating memories shared by these men and women provide a vivid portrait of what it was like to grow up Italian in Milwaukee from the 1900s through the 1940s. There are accounts of their difficult voyages to America, the community and character of the old Third Ward, how people made a living, and day-to-day life in an Italian home.

Catherine Balistrieri - Italian Oral History Project 1991 Milwaukee, WI

Catherine’s parents came to Milwaukee from Sant’Elia and Porticello, near Palermo, Italy. Catherine was born in 1904 and grew up in Milwaukee’s Third Ward. She remembers the growth of the Third Ward, her Mother’s side-business cooking and baking for social events, working at Phoenix Hosiery, eloping with her husband, and the neighborhood holiday festivals. In this episode, we will be hearing from Catherine Balistrieri being interviewed by Diane Vecchio, past professor at the University of WI-Milwaukee. Diane and Larry Baldassaro, both professors at UW-Milwaukee, lead a project called Oral History of Italians in Milwaukee. We were able to acquire these oral recordings and will be featuring them monthly in our podcast series. We are working with the families to continue the oral history where the families left off when this project was completed in 1991. Here is some background information on the project. In 1991, the UW-Milwaukee Department of French and Italian conducted the “Oral History of Italians in Milwaukee” project, a collection of interviews concerning Italian American life in early 20th century Milwaukee. It was funded by a grant from the Wisconsin Humanities Committee and co-sponsored by the Italian Community Center, the project was directed by Larry Baldassaro, now Professor Emeritus of Italian at UWM. He and Diane Vecchio, now Professor of History at Furman University, conducted 20 interviews with Italian immigrants to Milwaukee and children of early immigrants. The fascinating memories shared by these men and women provide a vivid portrait of what it was like to grow up Italian in Milwaukee from the 1900s through the 1940s. There are accounts of their difficult voyages to America, the community and character of the old Third Ward, how people made a living, and day-to-day life in an Italian home.