I'm from Chicago and I simply love Chicago, but I don't remember all these names you all have mentioned. My great-grandmother lived next door to Giancana--she told me that his nickname was "Moon" or "Moonie", I can't remember exactly--she died quite a few years ago. She told me that Giancana and his game belonged to a gang called something like the "16th Street Boys" or something like that. Also, Capone was not a Chicagoan. He was from New York and most Italians in Chicago hated him. They called him and his men "The Black Hand". My own grandfather told me that. He also told me that Italians were terribly discriminated against in Chicago. He said that it was the Irish that treated the Italians like second class citizens. When my grandfather finally found work with a large business in Chicago, he started out as a ditch digger--eventually working his way up to become a supervisor when he retired in the late 60's. He told me that he was discriminated against simply because he was Italian for many years. He said that many men were promoted before he was because they were not Italian. It is interesting that my grandfather never displayed any anger, resentment or vengeance over this situation. Knowing him, I am sure he never complained, but just went along waiting his turn. He said many Italians were too afraid to complain.

~ Sadie