POLISH ANCESTRY – FIRST 20 STATES OF AMERICA

Poles continue to come into the Chicago area in large numbers; 125,230 nonimmigrants admitted in year 1999, according to the INS. Poles are coming through family reunification provisions and the visa lottery. Some come because they have special employment skills. The lottery has resulted in an overwhelming outpouring of applications from Poles especially because it is possible for people already in the US to change their status if chosen in the lottery. Polish application for citizenship is high; 13,127 persons were naturalized in 1999, according to the INS. It appears that few are returning to Poland.

Links to the homeland have probably been stronger in Polonia than in most other ethnic communities in America . Because of the history of the home country and efforts of its leaders to nationalize emigrants living abroad. The identification of the “fourth province of Poland” waned when both Polonia and Poland turned their attention to their own problems. The newest cohort and traditional Polonia have been very active in trying to influence the American government, first with a higher level of education, obtained under the communist system. While many came as formal immigrants, an even larger number entered on a temporary basis and remained illegally.

Although most Poles of all three cohorts had not planned to stay , most did because of political complications back home and increasing satisfaction with life in this country . Chicago has long been one of the main centers of the national Polish American community known as Polonia.

Most Poles are Roman Catholics. An interesting development in Polonia has been the creation of a Polish National Catholic Church, founded in 1873 as a revolt against Irish influence and over Papal control. The PNCC has local leaders and elected clergy who can marry. Only about 5% of Polish American join the PNCC, but the religion has spread to the mother country, an unusual phenomenon. The election of Pope John Paul II and his several visits to the United States including Chicago has been a great source of pride to Polonia.

Three main events in the Polish calendar have been carried over to Polonia. Christmas involves a highly decorated evergreen tree, once traditionally lit with candles, and a 13-course Christmas Eve dinner with a place set for a “hungry stranger” and hay laid under tablecloth . Wafers like communion wafers are shared along with forgiveness for past offenses against one another and best wishes for the future. Gifts are opened after dinner. Even those who are not active Catholics attend Christmas Midnight Mass. Christmas day is spent visiting relatives. Eater is the second most important religious holiday and follows 40 days of self denial during Lent. The pious visit the decorated “graves” of Jesus at Polish churches on Good Friday. The third big holiday, Polish Constitution Day (May 3) celebrates Polish Constitution of 1791, which was never put into practice because of the 1793 partition of Poland, Prussia, Russia and Austria. The holiday is observed with a parade. Casmir Pulaski Day (first Monday in March) is an official Illinois holiday the commemorates the Polish count who fought and died in the American Revolution. It is celebrated with a weekend parade, downtown lunch and event at the Polish Museum.