A Cultural History of Italian Americans: Little Italies in Missouri

Missouri is home to vibrant Italian American communities, from The Hill in St. Louis, Columbus Park in Kansas City, and Rosati in the Ozark Mountains to our own town, Columbia. These communities have shaped the state’s cultural, economic, and intellectual life through restaurants, businesses, festivals, education, and the arts. Students will examine the histories and impact of these communities within the economic, political, and social context of the larger framework of Italian immigration to the United States. Using memoirs, oral histories, and archival research at the State Historical Society of Missouri (SHSMO). Through targeted project-based learning, students will examine how Italian American culture is preserved and celebrated. Experiential components include visits to The Hill, Columbia’s Italian businesses, and archival collections. Recommended: Sophomore standing or ENGLSH 1000.