Polish Americans in Cities

By the late 1870s, the second major wave of immigration to America had begun. The biggest grouping at this time was from eastern and southern Europe. In urban centers, the influx of immigrants made for [Page 583]overcrowding and led to stereotyping and other forms of discrimination. But in addition, the immigrants provided factories and other employers with a willing and able work base. It was into the urban mix that the Poles first started to immigrate to the larger cities in the U.S. in significant numbers. This was not to say that Poles had not come here before this time. In fact, many Poles distinguished themselves before the U.S. came into existence. Casimir Pulaski, who commanded colonial units during the Revolutionary War, was but one example of the Polish contribution to the United States. Another prominent Pole involved in the American Revolution was Tadeusz Kosciuszko, who served as a significant engineer of fortifications for the new United States Army during the Revolutionary War.

While Poles arrived in North America from the early 1600s, the two most concentrated areas for Polish immigrants in the 1800s were Buffalo and Chicago. The placement was not accidental. Both cities had a strong industrial base, and the jobs requirements were such that those with minimal English or educational skills could catch on rather easily. The work was difficult to be sure, but it offered Poles a chance to make a better life for themselves. As other towns (such as Detroit and Milwaukee) developed an industrial base Polish communities developed there as well.

The Poles of Chicago were particular in their assimilation to American society. In fact it could rightly be called a nonassimilation into the American society. The Poles kept their own identity, to the point of supporting Polish-speaking businesses whenever possible. One of the first support groups formed in Chicago, for example, was a burial group. Members paid into the pool, and when a member or loved one of a member died, he or she could be given a proper Polish burial.

The biggest contention of the Poles in Chicago was the fight over control of the Catholic Church. The church most associated with the Polish community in the U.S. is St. Stanislaus Kostka in Chicago. The prominence of the church (or in the case of Polish Jews, the synagogue) was paramount for any community. By 1920, the two largest Polish Catholic Churches in the world were located in Chicago. The archdiocese of Chicago was controlled by the Irish Catholics, however, since they had established the archdiocese and already spoke English.

Fights over how the Masses were to be conducted often led to splits within the Chicago churches. For the Poles, the need to keep Masses in the Polish language often led to struggles between them and the Irish-controlled Archdiocese of Chicago. In political matters, the Poles attempted to vote as a unified bloc, but the attempt was not enough to gain control in an ethnically diverse city such as Chicago. Chicago's Polish community was so important that for all the Poles in the U.S., Chicago brought Poland closer to those immigrants in the United States. Most national Polish heritage groups were located in Chicago, as well as 12 Polish newspapers. It was this significance that helped Poles to maintain their identity.

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