Discovering the Peoples of Michigan, a series from Michigan State University Press, examines the rich multicultural heritage of the Great Lakes. This informative, affordable, flexible collection of books explores Michigan's ethnic dynamics. Discovering the Peoples of Michigan reveals the unique contributions that different and often unrecognized communities have made to Michigan's historical and social identity.For more than 350 years, Italian immigrants have played important roles in the opening and development of the land that is now Michigan, from their participation in the French fur trade up to the present day. Through an emphasis on the family as the essential institution in ethnic group success, Russell M. Magnaghi celebrates the accomplishments of Michigan's famous and not-so-famous Italian sons and daughters as he documents their struggles and achievements. Through the tenacity and hard work of the immigrants and their descendents, Italians in Michigan have progressed from unskilled laborers to some of the highest positions in business, politics, culture, and education.
