Mafia: How the Mob Infiltrated Mid-Century America

About this episode

This episode explores the rise of the Mafia in mid-century America, focusing on the pivotal 1957 Apalachin meeting and its implications.

When Billy Joel sings "Mafia," he’s referencing a pivotal shift in the 1950s—the moment organized crime stepped out of the shadows and into the American consciousness. In this episode of History Ignited, we pull back the curtain on the Mob's "Golden Age," focusing on the disastrous 1957 Apalachin meeting that forced the FBI to finally admit the Mafia's existence. Join us as we explore the rise of the Five Families, the ironclad code of Omertà, and how a secret society managed to infiltr...

People in this episode

Host: History Ignited

Topics covered

• organized crime
• Mafia
• American history
• 1950s
• FBI
• Apalachin meeting

Keywords

• Mafia
• organized crime
• 1950s
• Apalachin meeting
• FBI
• Five Families
• Omertà

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: FBI, Five Families

Books & works: Mafia

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