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Much of it, by most counts, probably understates how much time, commitment, and blue-collar work D’Angelo has put in over the last half-century to preserve and protect lovely old buildings and park space. It certainly understates the influence D’Angelo had on public policy, both in Little Italy and across the city, under both Mayor Daleys and the three people who ran Chicago in between.
It also offers some fascinating perspectives of the history of Little Italy.
He also sort of admits that he was the center of considerable controversy. “When Mayor Daley announced the establishment of the University of Illinois at Chicago, it appeared that the community had been treacherously betrayed–those are probably the words my good friend Florence would use.”
It turned out Scala didn’t really help me with the story, but I can’t say she disappointed me, either. She simply said that, after nearly half a decade, she was tired of talking about Oscar D’Angelo.
