Urban Turf and Ethnic Soil: A Community's Survival Struggle

Genealogy Fair | Presented by Toledo Library

In Urban Turf and Ethnic Soul-  An American Neighborhood’s Struggle for Survival, speaker Peter Újvági will discuss the history of the Birmingham Neighborhood

More than a century ago immigrant workers settled near the smokestack industries along the east side of Toledo’s Maumee River, They were Hungarians, Slovaks, Italians and Moravians. They built a neighborhood that worked and called it Birmingham.

Much of that industry is gone now, and Birmingham as a multi-cultural .multi-racial community is fighting for it’s life. 50 years since the First Ethnic Festival celebrated the neighborhoods  battles and victories the struggle continues…..

About the Presenter: 

Peter Újvági is a retired Hungarian-born Democratic politician in Toledo, Ohio. He has been a Toledo City Council member, a Representative in the Ohio House of Representatives, and the Lucas County Administrator. Ujvagi was born in Budapest, Hungary on 31 March 1949 as the son of Ede and Magda Újvági. When he was 7 years old, he emigrated with his parents to the United States, after the Hungarian Revolution of 1956.His nickname is "Mayor of East Toledo", a part of the city with a strong Hungarian-American and other Eastern European-descended population.  

Sensory Considerations: This program will use artificial lighting.  All speakers will use microphones.

Accessibility Details: Located on the first floor, accessed by elevator and/or stairs. All doors will feature an automatic function or be propped open prior to program start. Tile or low pile carpet throughout the building. Limited free parking is available in the attached garage. 

Please call Public Services at 419-259-5293 to request an accommodation at least two weeks prior to the program date.