The Hall of Fame and museum was located in a 44,000-square-foot (4,000 m²) building on Taylor Street in the heart of Chicago's "Little Italy" neighborhood from 2000 until 2019.
In 1977, George Randazzo founded the Italian American Boxing Hall of Fame as a way to raise money for a struggling local Catholic youth program.
The results were so overwhelming that a friend and local businessman, Don Ponte, encouraged Randazzo to start a Hall of Fame to honor all Italian American athletes.
In the years that followed, celebrities from all walks of life have come to the annual induction ceremonies to pay tribute to outstanding Italian American sports champions and heroes.
An uninvited guest took part in the 1980 induction ceremony: President Jimmy Carter offered his congratulations and addressed the crowd.