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2.1 Ethnic Transitions Between Poles and Mexicans Research Brief

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Ethnic Transitions between INSTITUTE FOR LATINO STUDIES UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME Poles and Mexicans STUDENT RESEARCH VOLUME 2,ISSUE 1 DECEMBER 2008 SERIES Why is South Bend’s Polish History INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Relevant to Discuss? The city of South Bend has a very diverse ethnic back- The History of 2 ground. The history of this South Bend’s small Midwestern city chroni- Polonia cles both opportunity and depression, community build- ing and segregation, develop- South Bend’s 3 ment and disarray. After the Mexican first wave of immigrants ar- th Heritage rived in the late 19 century, many groups continued to call this part of northern Indiana The Importance 3 home. Apart from the French of Parish in both Holy Cross missions, which Communities were instrumental in organiz- Polish Immigrants waiting in line to have their passports checked before leaving. Warsaw, Poland, ing the first communities here 1927. Bettman/Corbis in Indiana, South Bend’s eth- Ethnic 4 nic heritage is mostly Eastern city. The first aspect of this and developing the political, social, Transitions in European. Hungarians, Slavs, brief describes the origin of economic and religious landscape of St. Adalberts Germans, and Irish made South Bend Polonia and the this country, immigration is a fre- and la there way to this part of the role this community played quently misunderstood process. The Panaderia Midwest because of economic in shaping South Bend. most recent influx of residents to Central opportunity in the manufac- South Bend, the majority of whom turing industry. The Poles The composition of immi- come from Mexico, is no exception. Discussion 5 were one of the first groups to grant groups entering the The second goal of this brief is to arrive in South Bend, forming United States in general and chronicle and demystify the en- a prominent ethic contingency South Bend in particular has trance of the Mexican community that would become intimately been in constant flux. While on the South Bend cultural stage. interwoven with the history immigrants have played an References 6 and culture of this industrial instrumental role in shaping The third aspect will be to explain the recent ethnic transition South Bend has experienced through a 100.0 humanistic perspective. I hope to 90.0 80.0 highlight this perspective by utiliz- 70.0 Latino ing St. Adalberts parish and a cen- Appendix 7 60.0 tral bakery on Western Avenue as 50.0 Black 40.0 my two case studies. Through my 30.0 White analysis, I hope to combat the ideol- 20.0 10.0 ogy that the changing ethnic compo- 0.0 sition of South Bend is a problem, 1990 1995 2000 2005 loss, or setback. Population Change in South Bend since 1990 by Race/Ethnicity Source: www.census.gov (courtesy Jenna Adsit) PAGE 2 The history of South Bend’s Polonia Poles first began to arrive in South Bend provided was truly South Bend in the 1860’s. Many a gift from God in comparison found work on the Michigan to the oppression they experi- Central Railroad being built enced back in Europe. This between Chicago, LaPorte, and original neighborhood (which South Bend (3). Quoting Fr. housed approximately 21,000 Chrobot, Ph.D, “Poles began Poles at the turn of the cen- coming here in 1863-1854 after tury), extends down the pre- an unsuccessful insurrection sent Chapin Street, and is against Russia.” Some Polish bounded by Washington to the laborers earned enough to north and Western to the purchase land and employed south. their countrymen when the The social and economic pinna- railroad offered no work. This cle of South Bend’s Polish com- settlement built community Ethnic neighborhood “Bogdarka”. Left to right are St. Pat- munity was reached in the mid- identity and accelerated the rick’s, St. Hedwig’s, St. Casmir, and St. Adalbert’s. to late 1920’s. “During the growth of South Bend agricul- 1920’s, there were twelve bak- ture. The majority of the first Bend only a few years earlier. The 1950’s, although prosperous eries and over seventy grocery- Poles were from the capital city This society, along with the for the Polish community, butcher store combinations in of Poland, Warszawa, and by Polish National Alliance, was a showed plateaus in church mem- these [Polish] neighborhoods. 1910 they had established a popular gathering place for bership and business develop- There were nineteen retail dry clearly defined neighborhood Poles in the earlier half of the ment. It was becoming apparent goods stores, twelve furniture called Bogdarka (God’s gift). 20th century. To this day, the that South Bend Polonia had stores, plus a lumber company The name of the neighborhood Falcon’s Nest has its famous reached the end of its golden and a coal yard” (Stabrowski, is a testament to the deep fish fry the first Friday of every age in the 1950s and was begin- 46). The Z.B Falcons, a Polish- devotional aspect of Polish month. The Polish community ning to feel the effects of assimi- American fraternal benefit culture. The opportunity for also made themselves known in lation. society, had their national growth and prosperity that the political, economic, and headquarters located in South professional spheres in the city. Immigrant Children singing. Detroit Mich- cigan, 1955. John Dominis. Polish Farmers. Paul Schutzer, June 1963 cour- tesy LIFE. Poland is the 9th largest country in Europe with a population of 38 million people. The modern emigra- tion is to England and Ireland due to the economic strength of the Euro. ETHNIC TRANSITIONS BETWEEN POLES AND MEXICANS VOLUME 2,ISSUE 1 PAGE 3 South Bend’s Mexican Heritage Mexican immigration to the United once Washington High School (now IVY Hispanics occupying 3.3% of total States largely began during the Mexican Tech) and the other around St. Casimir’s jobs; in 2006 construction work revolution (1910-1917) when approxi- Church (the area bounded by Ford and predominated with 10.9% of total mately 700,000 Mexicans sought refuge Sample). Fotia states in her 1975 re- jobs (Indiana, 2007). in the American southwest. WWI con- search work that “The Mexican- tinued to attract Mexican immigrants, Americans are facing a problem distinct whose labor was needed for the ele- from the experience of other ethic vated levels of American manufacturing. groups” (6). She claims that traditional As migration spread further north, processes of socialization, migrant life- cities like Chicago and Detroit became style, and community separation have major ethnic hubs. WWII offered fur- previously prevented Mexican communi- ther incentives for immigration through ties from being in contact with Anglos. initiatives like the bracero program. Moving to South Bend changed all of this. Although this program ended in 1964 In 1970, there were approximately 332 (largely due to American xenophobia), Spanish-speaking households in South its effects upon migration were numer- Bend. The census estimate for 1974 is ous, lasting, and widespread. In fact, the 3,086 Mexican Americans, most between bracero program was responsible for the ages of 20-29 (Faught, 1975). Now, the arrival of the first Mexican settlers there are over 2,315 Spanish-speaking to the South Bend area. “As early as households and 11,324 Mexican Ameri- 1946 some migrants from the south- cans in South Bend (ACS, 2006). New west came to work on the farms of A map of the predominant Hispanic parishes in retail stores, restaurants, and automotive South Bend. overlap with the previous South Bend’s west side” (Fotia, 5). Notice the service centers now grace Western ave- Polish community. Higher densities are indicative Mexican immigration to our community nue and Sample street and, as a result of of higher populations. Adapted from Kimberly increased exponentially from 1965- this population boom, have economically Tavare, Jenna Adsit and Emilie Prot, 2006. 1971. Two large Mexican American revitalized the west side of South Bend. communities were founded on South Manufacturing was the largest sector Bend’s west side—one near what was employing Mexicans in the early 90s, with The Importance of the Parish in Both Communities The Catholic Church was instrumental This larger church accommodated the Maria Rzeszutek, a baker at the South Bend in organizing the social lives of the influx of new Polish immigrants. The last of Farmers’ Market, emphasizes the centrality of early Polish settlers in South Bend. the Polish Parishes, St. Adalbert’s, was the Church in the lives of the Polish residents: Schooling, social events, and gatherings built in 1910 and quickly became the cen- were all part of were all part of the ter of South Bend Polonia’s presence and “...the one thing that tied Polish people Polish parish. Ever since the ordination pride. The church and clergy continued to together has been the church. It was the of the first Polish pastor, Fr. Walenty play a crucial role in maintaining Polish center of organization; kids were raised in Czyzewski (C.S.C.) in 1874, South identity, culture, and tradition: “These Polish tradition and culture.” Bend’s Polonia has had its roots in [numerous pastors] took it upon them- church infrastructure. The first parish selves to publicly warn their people that to be founded was St. Hedwig’s the influence of the pastor went beyond (originally known as St. Joseph’s) in the parish” (Strabowski, 11). 1877. After being destroyed by a tor- nado, the church was rebuilt at 331 Scott Street. PAGE 4 Rzeszutek’s comments show that “Both [Mexicans and even to this day, traditional Poles Poles] love JPII, find the Parish to be the center Transitions in the Community Mary, and have great of the community.
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