Date/Time
Date(s) - 09/11/2025
7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Categories
Lecture summary: In the early 20th Century there was an influx of immigrants from Polish-speaking areas of Europe. Buffalo had a large Polish community that settled on the city’s East Side. As with all ethnic groups, some individuals decided that crime was an easier avenue to wealth. In this presentation, Rizzo will discuss his research into the life and times of gangster John “Korney” Kwiatkowski, which led to his book, They Call Me Korney: The True Story of Buffalo’s Korney Gang.
Presenter bio: Born and raised in Western New York, Michael Rizzo has been a bike messenger, network admin, tour guide, and school bus driver. He has written 12 books, mostly focusing on his hometown of Buffalo. His latest is about artist Billie Lawless and 1984’s sculpture, “Green Lightning.” Rizzo lives in the Seattle area with his family.
Michael Rizzo