Polish-American Heritage Month has been celebrated in October since 1986 and honors the contributions of Polish Americans throughout US history. Polish people arrived in the Americas in 1608 with some of the earliest European settlers. Casimir Pulaski Day, which is in March, celebrates Pulaski, who was a Polish hero of the American Revolution, although over 100 Poles came to the US specifically to help fight for freedom. Polish people came in larger numbers in the late 1800s and early 1900s, with an estimated 2 million Polish immigrants arriving by the 1920s.
Today, around 8.6 million (6%) Americans have Polish ancestry. Here in Illinois, 10% of the state’s population (930,000 residents) have Polish ancestry. The Chicago area is home to the largest Polish community outside of Poland.
Books
If there are any specific books you would like to order by Polish American or Polish writers, please let us know!
Additional Resources
Polish American Cultural Center Museum Online
Polish National Alliance of the US of NA
Polish Genealogical Society of America
Polish American Historical Association
Library of Congress Immigration and Relocation in US History: Polish/Russian
Proclamation 5548 — Polish American Heritage Month, 1986
Entire History of Poland: From Ancient Times to Modern Era (History Without Chains on YouTube)
History of Poland (Historical Encyclopedia)
History of Poland (History Maps)
Poland Profile – Timeline (BBC)
Polish Immigration to America: The Story of Migration Waves That Built Polonia (Genealogy Tour)
Related Pages
