The history of the Garibaldi Society
The Garibaldi Mutual Aid Society was founded in the ‘Little Italy’ neighborhood of Bay View. It is the oldest continuous running Italian organization in Milwaukee and is named after the famous Italian general Giuseppe Garibaldi, a major figure in uniting Italy.
Organized: March 15, 1908
The Italian American Mutual Aid Society, Giuseppe Garibaldi is formed with the goal of providing relief and support to needy members and their families.
First Membership Meeting: December 7, 1908
The first meeting was held at 217 St. Clair St.
50th Anniversary - 1958
The Garibaldi Mutual Aid Society was founded in 1908 in the ‘Little Italy’ neighborhood of Bay View. It is the oldest continuous running Italian organization in Milwaukee and is named after the famous Italian general Giuseppe Garibaldi, a major figure in uniting Italy. Prior to his legacy, Italy was not a country but an amalgamation of competing principalities.
The purpose of the Society was to afford relief and support to destitute, sick and needy members and their families and to furnish aid to the families of deceased members. It is a non-profit organization and, when founded, was a step ahead of its time in providing workplace benefits that today are often taken for granted. Sick pay and pay to members who were out of work due to injuries preceded Workers Compensation laws for society as a whole. Those benefits are still offered to members, though now they are a token of the Society’s tradition of mutual aid. The procession past the casket of a deceased member is one of the solemn duties performed by the brothers of the Society.
The Garibaldi Society currently has over 100 members, many of whom are ‘life’ members, having been a part of the organization for more than 35 years. The Society meets on the first Thursday of every month at Club Garibaldi, the building it owns, on the corner of Superior and Russell Streets in Bay View. Today the Garibaldi Society is, for the most part, a social organization, participating in community events and enjoying the camaraderie of its members and their families at its annual picnic, raffle, and bocce tournaments. It is proud of its heritage in helping Italian immigrants adapt to their new home in America.