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Immigration Information
There were four noticeable waves of immigration from Poland to the U.S. The first wave was during the partitioning of Poland in the early 19th century which lasted about 60 years. The next wave took place from the end of the 19th century through World War I. These Polish immigrants were seeking a better economic life and were mainly part of the rural class. The third wave started from World War I and lasted until the end of the Cold War, which mostly encompassed dissidents from the communist regime. Finally, the last and most recent wave of immigration began at the fall of the Soviet Union and Poland’s democratic reforms. These Polish immigrants entered the United States with a tourist visa. Their main goal was to immigrate to the states in order to financially support themselves and their families with the mindset of eventually returning to Poland. However, many continued to reside in the states on either a legal or illegal basis.
Major Religions and Beliefs
Since Poland is predominantly a Catholic nation, the Polish immigrants continued to practice this religion in the US. Primarily, some Polish American parishes were formed based on small meetings in local areas in Polish communities. Eventually these meetings led to the development of societies with priests that arrived from various parts of Poland. Catholic Polish Americans established schools and seminaries across the US. Many nuns from Poland were called upon to serve orphanages and other religious entities.
History, Traditions and Culture
Poland was predominantly an agrarian society that focused on the development of clans and kinship communities. These relationships have transformed themselves within the US into current Polish American fraternal organizations. There are many other agrarian and rural traditions that the Polish have continued to follow. For example, Catholic American Poles set Saints’ days according to dates that typically revolve around agricultural tasks such as sowing and reaping.
Academic Organizations
Piast Institute
2926 Caniff
Hamtramck, MI 48212
tel: (313) 664-0321
fax: (313) 664-0326
University of Notre Dame
Leonard F. Chrobot, Adjunct Professor, Sociology
449 Decio Hall
tel: (574) 631-4585
fax: (574) 232-9787
lchrobot@nd.edu
InfoPoland (University at Buffalo)
705 Clemens
University at Buffalo
Buffalo, NY 14260
tel: (716) 645-3401
fax: (716) 645-3888
info-polxand@acsu.buffalo.edu
Indiana University Polish Studies Center
1217 E. Atwater
Bloomington, IN 47401
tel: (812) 855 – 1507
fax: (812) 855-0207
polish@indiana.edu
Consulates
Consulate General of the Republic of Poland
12400 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 555
Los Angeles, California 90025
tel : (310) 442-8500, (310) 442-8501
fax: (310) 442-8515
consulplla@consulplla.org
www.PolishConsulateLA.com
Consulate General of the Republic of Poland in NY
233 Madison Avenue
New York, New York 10016
tel: (212) 561 8160, (646) 237-2100
fax: (646) 237 2105
Culture, Science, Education and Public Affairs
tel: (212) 561 8160, (646) 237-2100
fax: (646) 237 2105
Consulate General of the Republic of Poland
Polish American Section
tel: (312) 337-8166 ext.218
The Embassy of The Republic of Poland
2640 16-th Street,
NW Washington DC 20009
tel: (202) 234-3800,
tel: (202) 234 3800 ext. 2140
polemb.info@earthlink.net
UN contact information
Permanent Mission of the Republic of Poland to the United Nations
9 East 66th Street
New York, NY 10021
tel: (212) 744-2506
fax: (212) 517-6771
General.Mailbox@PolandUN.org
http://www.polandun.org/
Associations in the U.S.
American Council for Polish Culture (ACPC)
2025 O Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20036
tel: (202) 785-2320
American Institute of Polish Culture (AIPC)
1440 79th Street Causeway, Suite 117
Miami, Florida 33141
tel: (305) 864-2349
fax: (305) 865-5150
Polish American Congress (PAC)
5711 North Milwaukee Avenue
Chicago, Illinois 60646-6215
tel: (773) 763-9944.
fax: (773) 763-7114
pacchgo@mindspring.com
http://www.polamcon.org
Polish American Historical Association (PAHA)
984 North Milwaukee Avenue
Chicago, Illinois 60622
tel: (773) 384-3352
fax: (773) 384-3799
Polish Falcons of America
615 Iron City Drive, Pittsburgh
Pennsylvania 15205
tel: (412) 922-2244
fax: (412) 922-5029
http://www.polishfalcons.org
Polish Genealogical Society of America (PGSA)
984 North Milwaukee Avenue
Chicago, Illinois 60622
PGSAmerica@aol.com
http://www.pgsa.org
Polish National Alliance of the United States (PNA)
6100 North Cicero
Chicago, Illinois 60646-4385
tel: (773) 286-0500 or (800) 621-3723
fax: (773) 286-0842
pnazgoda@ais.net
http://www.pna-znp.org/index.html
Polish Roman Catholic Union of America
984 Milwaukee Avenue
Chicago Illinois 60622
tel: (773) 278-3210
fax: (773) 278-4595
Polish Surname Network (PSN)
158 South Walter Avenue
Newbury Park, California 91320
Polish Union of the United States
4191 North Buffalo Street
Orchard Park, New York 14127-0684.
tel: (716) 667-9782
Polish Women's Alliance of America
205 South Northwest Highway
Park Ridge, Illinois 60068.
tel: (708) 384-1200
fax :(847) 384-1222
pres@pwaa.org
http://www.pwaa.org |
