Boston, MassachusettsBoston, MassachusettsBoston, MassachusettsBorn on December 2, 1926, Paul Katsigianis grew up on Albany Street in Boston’s South End as the second youngest of eight children. He was the son of Greek immigrant parents from Sparta, George and Mary. Paul was raised in a lively, multilingual neighborhood that he remembered for its cultural diversity—families from many different countries, all seeking new beginnings in Boston, his parents included. His father George owned a successful barbershop in the North End and his mother Mary was a candy maker. Paul spent much of his childhood exploring the city with his siblings and cousins, developing a special fondness for places like Castle Island.
Paul Katsigianis in 1943, age 16.
Paul was still very young when his father passed, and quit school at an early age to help support his large family. His first job included shining shoes at the Statler Hotel, now known as the Park Plaza.
For most of Paul’s life he worked in the garment industry as a presser, beginning his career at the Antin Dress Company on Kneeland St in Chinatown. His stories of the South End reflect a childhood shaped by community, resilience, and the rich tapestry of immigrant life in the early twentieth-century.
— Biography by Jocelyn Howley
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