Where Italian Heritage
Thrives in Birmingham

Since 2009, the Italian American Heritage Society of Birmingham has celebrated and preserved the richness of Italian culture in Birmingham, AL We host events, share stories and bring together people who feel connected to our heritage — whether by blood, marriage or heart. Everyone is welcome at our table.

You don’t have to be fluent in Italian — you just have to show up with heart. Our members stay close to their culture, connect with others who get it and unlock real opportunities through exclusive events and student scholarships.

From Festa Italiana to our “That’s Amore” Valentine’s celebration, our calendar’s packed with ways to connect. We blend tradition with fresh energy: think film nights with Sidewalk Cinema, bocce at the Lakeshore Foundation, monthly potlucks and cultural classes. Bring a friend or bring your nonna — just don’t miss out.

All descendants of the Di Chiara-Lovoy family stand on the shoulders of that first generation of Italian Americans as their work ethic has been passed down. Lessons learned through times of hardship have produced many college graduates, teachers, supervisors, grocers, entrepreneurs, PHDs, physicians, athletes, successful business owners and so much more because that generation wanted to help their children have a better life than they had.

This family story begins when Giovanna “Jenny” Giangroso (born 1881) married Luigi Di Chiara in Bisacquino, Sicily. Giovanna and Luigi first came to the United States in 1905, arriving through the port of New Orleans on the Vincenzo Florio.
Before returning to Bisacquino, their first son, Pietro (Peter), was born in Ensley in 1906.
Back in Bisacquino, they had three more sons: Frank, born 1909, Ignazio (later called Louis), born 1911, and Emmanuele (Emanuel), born 1913. They decided to return to the U.S. from Sicily in 1913, when Emanuel was less than a year old.
This time, they came through Canada on the ship Ruthania. On the same ship with them was Giovanna’s brother Anthony Giangrosso, age 21, and Luigi’s uncle Filippo Di Chiara, age 47. Filippo eventually went to Texas to live, and family history indicates that all the Di Chiara family went there too. They came back to Ensley, Alabama but Luigi’s health got worse, and he passed away in his early 40’s. Times were hard on all the boys, and they pitched in to help contribute to the family income. Emanuel, at age 6, sold newspapers and was instructed "not to come home until all were sold!" despite the weather.

Giovanna eventually married a second time to Phillip Lovoy (Lovoi 1976-1953) in 1922, in Ensley. He was a widower with 6 children. They had 2 more children, Louis Joseph, born 1923, and Joe Pete Lovoy, born 1924. Giovanna became a widow for the second time when Phillip passed away in 1953. Times were hard for the family, but that generation worked hard, cherished close family relations, supported each other’s endeavors, opened businesses, tried and failed and tried again to make a life for their families better than they had. Little Italy, Ensley, Alabama, became their support group, as many of their countrymen and former neighbors from Bisacquino, lived within blocks of each other. They became citizens and were proud Americans, but stayed faithful to their Italian culture, with their food and traditions, their faith and their faithfulness.

We're proud to support Italian American students as they pursue their goals in the classroom and in life. Our annual scholarships honor academic achievement, cultural pride and personal potential, helping the next generation carry our heritage forward.

P. O. Box 381441
Birmingham, Alabama 35238