"Pasqualina: The Bootleg Queen of Springfield, Massachusetts" - Author Justin Cascio
"Pasqualina: The Bootleg Queen of Springfield, Massachusetts" - Author Justin Cascio
In 1921, at the start of Prohibition, a young widow in Springfield’s South End inherited the biggest bootleg racket in western Massachusetts. Pasqualina Albano ruled her late husband’s gang of toughs and bootleggers, and directed a war of vengeance against their adversaries.
The “Bootleg Queen,” as the newspapers called her, fought lawmakers, other bootleggers, and even her own family—all for a secret society that would never accept her as a member.
Written by Justin Cascio—the author of the popular MafiaGenealogy.com website and In Our Blood: The Mafia Families of Corleone—Pasqualina: The Bootleg Queen of Springfield, Massachusetts is the true story of one woman's pivotal role in Mafia history.
- Date:
- Thursday, January 15, 2026
- Time:
- 6:30pm - 7:30pm
- Time Zone:
- Eastern Time - US & Canada (change)
- Location:
- Coolidge Museum
- Categories:
- Adult Events Author Events Local History One-Time Events
Many events at the library are organized by members of the community. The views expressed are not necessarily endorsed by the library.