Our story — KUED documentary looks at Italian-Americans in Utah

In 1979, Joanne Milner was a student at the University of Utah, and she also worked at a bookstore. She remembers that Alex Haley came to town that winter, to promote his newly released "Roots." She recalls that her job was to stand next to him during his bookstore appearance.

While he greeted his readers, Milner took one book after another off the stack and opened them and handed them to him to be signed. When all the customers were gone, the author turned to Milner and asked her about herself.

What were her roots? he wondered. On her mother's side, she said, she is Italian. "And have you written your family's story?" Haley asked.

Well, she had to admit, she hadn't.

Haley inspired Milner to take a tape recorder on one of her frequent visits to her 75-year-old grandmother. That conversation led her to interview other relatives and started her on a quest, the results of which can be seen this coming week in a documentary on KUED.

The title of the film is "Our Story: Italian-Americans in Utah." As Milner uncovered her own family's story, her appreciation for all Italian-Americans deepened. Her appreciation deepened for all immigrants, actually. "It doesn't take many generations for people to forget the sacrifices of their grandparents," she says.

So "Our Story," is not the story of her family, or of any one family. It takes the broadest possible look at the Italians in Utah.

Milner begins with Brigham Young University professor James Toronto talking about his ancestor, Giuseppe. Giuseppe Toronto was a seaman who was a convert to the LDS Church. He came to Nauvoo, Ill., just after the death of Joseph Smith.

Milner recounts the stories of the miners and railroad men, farmers and stone masons. She delves into Italian cooking and music, faith and family. Anyone who grew up in Utah will recognize at least some of the names in her documentary, such as Caputo, Siciliano, DePaulis, Pignanelli, Colosimo, Ravarino, Mariani and Motta.

Philip Notarianni, director of the division of state history, is interviewed prominently in the film. In fact, Milner structured her documentary around the outline he uses to teach his Italian-in-Utah history classes at the University of Utah.