sign in sign up
<<
Home , Casimir Pulaski, Kaszanka, November Uprising, Poles in Chicago, Polish Americans, Polish diaspora

POLES IN THE USA POLISH

Polish Americans are Americans who have total or partial Polish ancestry. There are an estimated 9.5 million , representing about 3% of the U.S. population. Polish Americans are the largest Slavic ethnic group in the , second largest Central European group and the eighth largest immigrant group overall. The first Polish settlers arrived at 's failed Roanoke Colony in 1585. In 1608 Polish settlers came to the Colony as skilled craftsmen.Two early immigrants, and Tadeusz Kościuszko, led armies in the Revolutionary War and are remembered as national heroes. Overall, more than one million and Polish subjects have immigrated to the United States, primarily during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Exact immigration numbers are unknown. Many immigrants were classified as "Russian", "German", and "Austrian" by the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service as the Polish state did not exist from 1795 to 1918, and thus the former territories of at this time were under Prussian, Austrian-Hungarian and Russian control. HISTORY

The history of Poles in the United States dates to the American Colonial era. Poles have lived in present-day United States territories for over 400 years—since 1608. There are 10 million Americans of Polish descent in the U.S. today, making it the largest of Poles in the world. Polish Americans have always been the largest group of Slavic origin in the United States. Historians divide Polish American immigration into three "waves", the largest from 1870 to 1914, a second after World War II, and a third after Poland's independence in 1989. Most Polish Americans are descended from the first wave, when millions of Poles fled Polish districts of , , and . This group is often called the za chlebem (for bread) immigrants because most were peasants in Poland who did not own land and lacked basic subsistence. The Polish today are well assimilated into American society. Average incomes have increased from well below average to above average today, and Poles continue to expand into white-collar professional and managerial roles. Poles are still well represented in blue collar construction and industrial trades, and many live in or near urban cities. They are well dispersed throughout the United States, intermarry at high levels, and have a very low rate of language fluency (less than 5% can speak Polish). KOŚCIUSZKO AND PUŁASKI

 Andrzej Tadeusz Bonawentura Kościuszko (February 4 or 12, 1746 – October 15, 1817) was a Polish-Lithuanian military engineer, statesman, and military leader who became a national hero in Poland, , , and the United States. He fought in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth's struggles against Russia and , and on the U.S. side in the American Revolutionary War. As Supreme Commander of the Polish National Armed Forces, he led the 1794 Kościuszko Uprising.  Kazimierz Michał Władysław Wiktor Pułaski of Ślepowron (March 4 or March 6, 1745 – October 11, 1779) was a Polish noblemanb, soldier and military commander who has been called, together with his Hungarian friend Michael Kovats de Fabriczy, "the father of the American cavalry"

POLES IN

Poles in Chicago are made up of both immigrant Poles and Americans of Polish heritage living in Chicago, . They are a part of worldwide Polonia, the Polish term for the outside of Poland. have contributed to the economic, social and cultural well-being of Chicago from its very beginning. Poles have been a part of the since 1837, when Captain Joseph Napieralski, along with other veterans of the first set foot there.As of the 2000 U.S. census, Poles in Chicago were the largest European American ethnic group in the city, making up 7.3% of the total population. However, according to the 2006–2008 American Community Survey, and each had slightly surpassed Polish Americans as the largest European American . Polish is the third most widely spoken language in Chicago behind English and Spanish. CITY / NORTHERN

The Metropolitan Area, including the borough of in New York City as well as Northern New Jersey, is home to the second largest community of Polish Americans and is now closely behind the Chicago area's Polish population. Greenpoint, New York in Brooklyn is home to the Little Poland of New York City, while Williamsburg, Maspeth and Ridgewood also contain vibrant Polish communities. In 2014, the New York metropolitan area surpassed Chicago as the metropolitan area attracting the most new legal immigrants to the United States from Poland. RELIGION

As in Poland, the majority of Polish immigrants are Roman Catholic. Historically, less than 5% of Americans who identified as Polish would state any other religion but Roman Catholic. Jewish immigrants from Poland, largely without exception, self identified as "Jewish" or "Russian Jewish" when inside the United States, and faced a historical trajectory far different from that of the ethnic Poles. Anusim from Poland also varied in their self- identification, but were more likely to identify as "Polish" in the United States. CULTURAL INDENTITY

Even in long-integrated communities, remnants of Polish culture and vocabulary remain. Roman Catholic churches built by Polish American communities often serve as a vehicle for cultural retention. During the 1950s–1970s, the Polish wedding was often an all-day event. Traditional Polish weddings in Chicago metropolitan area, in areas such as the southeast side of Chicago, inner suburbs like Calumet City and Hegewisch, and Northwest suburbs, such as Whiting, Hammond and East Chicago, always occurred on Saturdays. The receptions were typically held in a large hall, such as a VFW Hall. A band of drums, a singer, accordion, and trumpet, entertained the people, as they danced traditional dances, such as the oberek, "Polish Hop" and the waltz. Always an important part of Slavic culture, food played a very important role. The musicians, as well as the guests, were expected to enjoy ample amounts of both food and drink. Foods, such as Polish , , and kluski were common. Common drinks were beer, screwdrivers and highballs. Many popular Polish foods became a fixture in the American of today, including kiełbasa (Polish sausage), cake, (kasanzka) and pierogi.

HOLIDAYS

 Kosciuszko Day 4 February  March (Illinois regional)  Feast of the Annunciation 25 March  Paczki Day (Fat Thursday)  Constitution Day 3 May  Dyngus Day ()  Feast of Our Lady of Czestochowa 26 August  Dozhinki September  General Pulaski Memorial Day 11 October  Feast of the Immaculate Conception 8 December  Wigilia 24 December Polish Americans carried on celebrations of Constitution Day throughout their time in the United States without political suppression. In Poland, from 1940 to 1989, the holiday was banned by Nazi and Soviet occupiers. THE END ☺ PREPARED BY: GABRIELA POROSŁO AND WIKTORIA FILA