October is Polish Heritage Month in the U.S.

Today kicks off Polish Heritage Month in the U.S.!

In his Proclamation 5548 issued in October 1986, President Ronald Reagan declared October as Polish American Heritage Month, stating in part:

In October, we celebrate Polish American Heritage Month in the United States. Our Nation owes an immeasurable debt of gratitude to the millions of freedom-loving Poles who have come to our shores to build a new land. Polish Americans can be justly proud of the vital contributions people of Polish descent have made to our Nation in the arts, the sciences, religion, scholarship, and every area of endeavor.

The military genius of Kosciuszko and Pulaski was essential in the defense of our freedoms in the Revolutionary War. Since then, millions of Poland’s sons and daughters have helped build our country’s prosperity and defend our liberty.

Mankind’s desire for liberty is universal. We are, as a country, linked with the Polish people in love for individual liberty, faith, and defense of the family. We share unstinting devotion to political and religious freedom, as expressed so courageously by Pope John Paul II and Lech Walesa.

We have supported the aspirations of Poles in recent years for a greater voice in determining their nation’s destiny. We welcome the recent general amnesty for political prisoners in Poland as a positive step. We reaffirm our solidarity with these brave Polish citizens who, at great risk to themselves, have sought to expand liberty and to promote justice in their homeland.

As Polish Americans celebrate their cultural and spiritual values across the country during Polish American Heritage Month, all Americans can express gratitude for Poland’s heroic example of faith and sacrifice through the centuries and for Polish Americans’ manifest contributions to our Nation.

The Polish American Congress explained why October was finally chosen as Polish Heritage Month, saying:

Why is October an important month for Polish Americans? It is the month when the first Polish settlers arrived at Jamestown, VA in 1608. Additionally, on October 11, Casimir Pulaski, a Polish nobleman, and the father of American cavalry, died.

Another reason for changing the Polish Heritage Month from August to October was to aid participating educational institutions in organizing events during the school year.

In the United States, there are about 10 million Americans of Polish descent, making it the largest diaspora of Poles in the world.

The main objective of the Polish American Heritage Month is to highlight the contributions Poles and Polish Americans have made to the United States, celebrate our achievements and cultural heritage, and share its beauty with community at large.

We, Polish Americans, have always held onto a passion for our culture, values, Poland and our new country, the United States of America. But this month let us show our pride even more by sharing with our networks our cultural heritage, achievements and contributions Polish Americans have made to the United States.

Click here for why Polish Heritage Month is important, and ways to celebrate.