This year, the Italian Tribune celebrates its 116th anniversary. Back in 1909, Vincent Giuliano, an Italian immigrant, launched La Tribuna Italiana del Michigan, an Italian-language newspaper created to give Italian-Americans in Michigan a voice.
Fast-forward to 2024, and while much has changed, the newspaper remains a vital connection for the Italian-American community, proudly preserving 116 years of Italian heritage and we are the oldest family-owned Italian newspaper in America.
As we begin our 116th year, our mission stays the same: to be a voice for Italian-Americans and a record of their achievements. We’re committed to celebrating Italian heritage, education, and culture. Through the years, The Italian Tribune has built a positive image for Italian-Americans and remains a way to honor and preserve our shared heritage.
Of course, some things have evolved. In the early days, the newspaper was published entirely in Italian, catering to first-generation immigrants who had just arrived in America. Today, most of our readers are third- and fourth-generation Italian-Americans who primarily speak English, so the paper is now published in English.
The format has also changed. What started as a large broadsheet has become a more manageable tabloid size for easier reading. The production process has advanced, too. In the early days, publishing involved hot lead typesetting and heavy metal plates. Later, we moved to cutting and pasting layouts by hand. Now, everything is designed digitally and sent straight to the printer.
Our content has grown as well. While we once published just 8 to 12 pages a week, today’s issues are typically 20 to 28 pages, with special editions exceeding 40 pages. This allows us to share more stories, photos, and community news—everything from honors and achievements to weddings, graduations, and milestones—all free for our readers, as it’s always been.
Vincent Giuliano’s journey began in Chicago in 1905, where he started a pro-union paper to advocate for immigrant workers facing tough conditions. He could never have guessed this venture would become his lifelong career. After his passing in 1962, his wife Maria and grandson Edward (Giuliano) Baker took over the business. Maria, who had been the paper’s star reporter, took on publishing responsibilities until her death a year later. Edward then continued the legacy, eventually bringing his wife, Marlene, into the fold.
Marlene started by connecting with Detroit’s Italian clubs and organizations, gathering their stories each week. When both Edward and Italian editor Ferruccio Serdoz passed away in 2004, and Marlene, passed in 2009, both of their daughters, Marilyn Borner and Pam White, promised to keep the paper alive and have inherited the helm as co-publishers. “For me, editing and publishing The Italian Tribune is a labor of love,” says Marilyn. “I genuinely care about the people we serve and want to see the paper continue as a living history of the Italian community in Detroit.”
Our commitment to excellence in news reporting, community coverage, and celebrating Italian heritage throughout Metro Detroit remains strong. We can’t wait to see what the next 116 years will bring!