Lithuanians in Baltimore by Henry L. Gaidis

ue to the existing social vestment by sending money home munities. As a result the modest structure and bleak existing to pay for his younger brothers’ pas- Lithuanian immigration which began economic situation in sage. Once all of the male members in the 1860s continued into the LithuaniaD during the 1860 1870 pe- of the family had immigrated to 1880s and by 1900 was quite sub- riod, many adventurous Lithuanian‒ America, the family in a similar man- stantial. single males started coming to Amer- ner would frequently send their un- The vast majority of the first im- ica in the hope of making a fortune married daughters to join their migrants settled in Pennsylvania and later returning home and pur- brothers in America, in the hope that where men quickly found jobs in coal chasing a farm to improve their stan- the women would find suitable hus- mines. For others, it was work in the dard of living. There were few viable bands among their brothers’ friends mills and in the booming garment economic options in under and coworkers. industry in New York, Boston, Czarist Russian occupation. Al- though most Lithuanian families by then owned their own farm home- steads, these were small in size and could not support a family if divided. As a result, the eldest male child would inherit the family farm, while it was hoped that other sons would survive by becoming priests, finding some type of Russian government employment, or entering the military. Russian military service would nor- mally involve the recruit to be away from Lithuania for an extended pe- riod of time, and it was not uncom- mon for families to hold funeral-like wakes prior to their departure, as few ever returned. Similarly, it was hoped that fe- male children would marry a fellow Baltimore Lithuanian Hall, 1914-1921 reconstructed façade. farmer, become nuns, or find some type of suitable position with a local Wherever they settled, Lithuan- Philadelphia and Baltimore. Soon wealthy farmer or government offi- ian immigrants tended to live to- Lithuanian immigrants spread into cial. As a result, America became one gether because it made life easier. Illinois, Connecticut, and New Jersey, of the few avenues for many in With the arrival of single women and by 1910 there where sizable Lithuania to improve their life. Over and more often already established Lithuanian communities in time, families even started to pool Lithuanian families, they began es- and . funds to pay for boat passage to tablishing their own communities. The first permanent Baltimore America for the second-oldest son. Although the work was hard, many Lithuanian Community became es- The idea was, that after finding em- of the immigrants prospered, and tablished shortly after the arrival of ployment and a suitable living situa- rather than going home started to Vincas Jokubauskas and Vincas tion, he would repay the family in- establish their own permanent com- Bielys, two Lithuanian tailors who

8 LITHUANIAN HERITAGE July/ August 2016 had initially settled in New York but ployment benefits to its dues paying America and became the church pas- came to Baltimore in 1881 because members in emergencies. tor. For his service to the Lithuanian of better opportunities in its flour- ishing garment industry. After they found good jobs they began encour- aging their family members and friends both in New York and Lithuania to join them in Baltimore. As a result, within in four years there were at least two hundred and fifty Lithuanians immigrants living in Bal- timore in 1885, at which time they established their own Catholic fra- ternal organization, the St. John the Baptist Society. They soon invited the Reverend Casimir Polujanskis (Polianski), a Lithuanian priest from Bremond, Texas, to cater to the reli- gious needs of the embryonic Balti- St. Alphonsus Church main altar. more Lithuanian parish, In 1887, Cardinal Gibbons granted permis- The church remained the home community, the Lithuanian govern- sion for the society to establish its of the Lithuanian community until ment in 1935 bestowed the Order own Roman Catholic parish and by 1917, when Cardinal Gibbons, the of Gediminas medal upon Lietu- 1889 the society had raised enough Archbishop of Baltimore, trans- vnikas. After Lietuvnikas’ death in money to purchase the historic Lloyd ferred the historic former German 1943, Reverend Monsignor Louis J. Street Jewish Synagogue. Upon ren- St. Alphonsus Catholic Church, es- Mendelis (1898-1982) became ovation the Synagogue became the tablished in 1845, with its rectory church pastor. Mendelis became St. John the Baptist Church, the first and grammar school, to the ever- noted for his zeal in organizing sup- Lithuanian house of worship in city. growing Lithuanian parish. With its port for Catholic Missions and Char- During the organizational period a Gothic Revival style, this church is ities and his work with Miraculous number of temporary priests catered one of the most beautiful in the city. Medal Novena services. During his to the spiritual needs of the parish. A Lithuanian-run grammar school almost 40 years as pastor of St. It was in the early eighteen had been established at St. John the Alphonsus Church, fr. Mendalis was nineties that the great tide of emi- Baptist in 1909 and it was continued assisted by a number of notable gration fell upon most American at the parish’s new location. From 1921 Lithuanian priests who were associ- cities along the Atlantic Coast. The onward the parish school was taught ated with the parish, including Rev. small St. John the Baptist Church by the Sisters of Saint Casimir. During Anthony J. Dubinskas (1903-1979), was soon outgrown and in 1904 it the 1949 through 1978 period, a Rev. Casimir F. Keydash (1906-1985); was sold in order to acquire a larger Lithuanian Saturday School was oper- Rev. John Mendelis (1900-1982); house of worship. The parish ac- ated for students seeking to improve Msgr. Joseph Antoszewski (1927- quired a former Protestant Church their language and learn more about 1992); Rev. Casimir A. Pugevicius with a rectory and basement hall suit- Lithuanian history. Several historical (1928-2000); and the Rev. Anthony able for parish functions which was religious figures have been associated S. Dranginis (1917-1991). rechristened as the St. John the Bap- with St. Alphonsus Church. Besides Most of the early Lithuanian tist Church. Soon the parish became Saint John Nepomucene Neumann, American immigrants obtained em- the home of two fraternal benevo- who served as the church pastor from ployment in the tailoring industry, lent societies, the Knights of St. 1848 through 1852, the Lithuanian which was one of the primary Casimir and the Knights of St. Archbishop Blessed George Matulaitis sources of revenue for Baltimore at George, which functioned similarly also visited and stayed at the parish that time. During its heyday, there to the Knights of Columbus, but in during his 1926 visit to America. were some twenty-eight Lithuanian the era before social security benefits, In 1893, the Reverend Joseph A. tailoring establishments in the region these societies also provided some Lietuvnikas (1865-1943), a Lithua- and it has been estimated that 85 modest sickness, death, and unem- nia-born priest, was ordained in percent of the population was en-

July/ August 2016 LITHUANIAN HERITAGE 9 Piliečių Klubas). In 1905 these soci- eties joined together to form the Council of Lithuanian Societies of Baltimore (Baltimorės Lietuvių Taryba) in a building owned by the Kęstutis Society in South Baltimore, which had been serving as a civic center for the colony. In 1918, the building was sold and the obtained funds used to build a new facility. The Lithuanian Hall Association (Lietuvių Kooperativės Svetainės Ben- drovė) was incorporated in 1914 and a new building acquired which was Lithuanian American activists meet with Mayor Wm. E. Broening, 1920. officially opened on October 21, 1921 after some renovation and re- gaged in this industry. The immi- number of other Baltimore Lithuan- modeling. The building was financed grants established their very own in- ian non-sectarian fraternal societies through joint contributions of the dependent Lithuanian Tailor’s Union formed during the early part of various beneficial and fraternal or- in 1915, which later became the 1900, which catered to nonparochial ders and by way of shares sold to its Amalgamated Clothing Workers Lo- needs of the community. One of members. Funding raised for this cal 218. As these new immigrants these was the Lithuanian Learned civic enterprise totaled some three ų obtained wealth and education, they Society (Lietuvi Mokslo Draugystė), hundred thousand dollars. ū soon spread into other professions founded in 1889 by Jonas Šli pas, The area in southwest Baltimore and businesses, including physicians the historic Lithuanian political ac- surrounding the Lithuanian hall catering to their own community. tivist. Others included the American quickly became known as “Little There were Lithuanian dentists, Lithuanian Association (Tevynės Lithuania”. It is estimated that over ų lawyers, nurses, public school teach- Mylėtoj Draugystė); the Amateur 10,000 Lithuanian Americans lived ų ers, civil engineers, pharmacists, real Theatrical Society (Teatro Mylėtoj within Little Lithuania at that time. estate dealers, undertakers, photog- Draugystė) which produced some 30 One of Little Lithuania’s most raphers, insurance and steamship plays written by Vincas Nagornoskis prominent non-Lithuanian residents agencies, general insurance agents, during the 1897-1915 period; the was H.L. Menken, the noted Balti- bakeries, lunch rooms, public Choir of the Knights of Lithuania more political humorist, who held garages, grocery and provision (Lietuvos Vyčiai); and the Women’s his local neighbors in great stores, and taverns. Citizens Club (Lietuvių Moterų respect. The Baltimore Lithuanian Com- munity in its prime included its own church, grammar school, three halls, four building associations, ten bene- ficial organizations, seven clubs, three local branches of fraternal or- ganizations and one Lithuanian li- brary. The Community organized its own Lithuanian American Athletic Club in 1915, affording its members the opportunity of physical devel- opment under proper instruction. Lithuanian Americans engaged in the political life of their adopted nation through Lithuanian Republican and Democratic Clubs. Besides the St. John the Baptist Baltimore Lithuanian Community 500th. Vytautas the Great was the lead parade float, religious society there was a great 1930.

10 LITHUANIAN HERITAGE July/ August 2016 Since the time of its founding, Throughout World War II and Šliūpas, a noted Lithuanian political the Lithuanian Hall has functioned the Cold War period, the Lithuanian leader; William F. Laukaitis, a distin- as the cultural center for the Balti- Hall provided a gathering place for guished lawyer, jurist, and the Post- more Lithuanian Community. victory support rallies and planning master of Maryland; Thomas G. Gray Among the organizations which have anti-Nazi and anti-Soviet occupation (Grajauskas), attorney and Maryland considered the Lithuanian Hall demonstrations. After World War II, U.S. Attorney; Paul Weisengoff, a home are the Lithuanian National about 700 Lithuanian refugees from lawyer and Chairman of the Baltimore Library founded in 1908; the Council Soviet oppression, the so-called City Council; Elena Armaniene, attor- of Lithuanian Societies of Baltimore; “dipukai”, settled in the city and ney and political activist; Nadas Ras- the American-Lithuanian National greatly contributed to the survival tenis, lawyer and noted poet; Juozas Association; the Lithuanian Alliance of its Lithuanian community. Žilevičius, organist and composer; Pe- of America; and the Baltimore ter Kumpa, newspaper reporter and Lithuanian Athletic Club. Over the columnist; and Johnny Unitas, Balti- years the hall has been the meeting more Colt football star; to mention a place for the United Lithuanian Re- few. For many years, Albert Juskus and lief Fund of America, Incorporated. Kestutis Laskauskas produced the The hall is also the home of the Lithuanian Melody Times (Radijo Pro- American Legion Baltimore Lithuan- grama Lietuviams), which provided the ian Post 154, which was formed in community with its own ethnic radio 1943 by and World War program. II veterans and the Baltimore Lithuanian Museum. Since its inception, several na- Football great Johnny Unitas during an LT tional conventions of Lithuanian Radio Hour appearance, 1968. American organizations have been held in the Lithuanian Hall and a Being geographically close to the number of historical Lithuanian fig- President and Congress located in ures have visited the building, includ- nearby Washington, D.C., the Balti- ing Steponas Darius and Stasys Gire- more Lithuanian community became nas, the transatlantic flyers during a a major player and source for volun- fund raising event in 1932, and Pres- teers involved in the liberation of Baltimore Folk Dance Group Malūnas performs at outdoor festival, 1979. ident Antanas Smetona in 1942 fol- Lithuania movement. Since the lowing his flight from Lithuania con- restoration of the Republic of Today Lithuanian Hall members sequent to its occupation by the Lithuania in 1991, the Hall has and its visitors can still hear concerts . hosted events for Lithuanian Presi- and see a variety of shows presented by ethnic visiting performers, as well as take part in a variety of cultural ac- tivities and banquets. The noted “Ratelis” and “Malūnas” Lithuanian folk dancing groups frequently appear at Lithuanian Hall events and at the annual Baltimore Lithuanian Festival. After 100 years of service, the Lithuan- ian Hall continues to be the gathering places for all things Lithuanian, from meetings of the Lithuanian American "Klaipėda" transatlantic crossing yacht Community, Baltimore Chapter, to the during Baltimore visit, 1989. Baltimore Lithuanian Festival Com- dents , Valdas mittee. Hopefully those Lithuanian Adamkus, and other dignitaries. Americans who visit Baltimore will Among the many historical figures take the time to visit the Lithuanian President Antanas Smetona at St. Alphon- associated with the Baltimore Lithuan- Hall and experience this part of our sus Church, 1942 ian Community were Dr. Jonas history.

July/ August 2016 LITHUANIAN HERITAGE 11