The Polish Community on Long Island
Nassau News Staff Writer
Long Island has for years been a beacon for upwardly mobile immigrants and their descendants. Escaping persecution abroad or even urban sprawl in Brooklyn, Polish-Americans have established a large community on Long Island, heavily supported by events and organizations steeped in tradition.
Explore how a people try to hold onto their identity as they face the challenge of teaching a new generation the importance of the past. This demand has been met by a number of clubs and organizations, supported largely by Polish commuters from all over Long Island.
So put down those pierogi, turn off the Chopin, and listen to what this community has to say.
To view this article as a video, click on the embedded player below. Transcript available here.
Read the Print Version Below
“W Hempsteadzie”
Polish-Americans Keep Their Identity in a New World
You may see a peculiar brick building in Hempstead, with foreign names etched on its walls. An obelisk stands out front, extolling Casimir Pulaski and Tadeusz Kosciuszko as “Heroes of Two Nations.” This is the Polish National Club in Hempstead, Long Island, and much like the two Polish officers who fought for America in the Revolutionary War, it stands as a symbol of the old and new world united.
Hempstead is no longer the Polish enclave it was just a few decades ago. However it continues to serve as a focal point for the larger Polish community, with commuters traveling from across Long Island to participate in events and organizations.
“I think it’s very important to have some kind of roots. We cannot say that we come from the moon, or America, we come from Poland, that’s where we are born. Most of us are born in Poland, had Polish parents, and these are our roots,” said Zbigniew Koralewski, president of the Oginski Male Choir. The choir was formed during World War II, by Polish workers in a forced labor camp in Germany. In 1949, the choir immigrated to Long Island, where they continue to practice traditional Polish songs at the National Club.
Not every journey has such tumultuous origins. Many immigrants simply seek relief from the urban sprawl of New York City, said Barbara Stelmach, owner of Barbara’s Polish Deli in Hempstead. “A lot of Polish people moving from the city, to Long Island, and they’re coming here. They don’t have to travel to Brooklyn to buy stuff,” said Stelmach, whose store stocks original Polish produce. She said Polish-Americans commute from all over to participate in their culture, “That’s why we have a Polish church, Polish club, Polish school. For starters, for the kids, to keep the Polish heritage in, and I think we’re doing very good.”
Organizations like the Polish-American Congress have established a Long Island chapter to promote cooperation within the Polish community, said member Zbigniew Krawczyk. “This is the beginning, to rebuild the Polish community according to social and political involvement,” said Krawczyk, adding he wanted to start “a new era for Polish people here on America soil.”
Krawczyk admits, however, that the future of the Polish-American community rests in the hands of the next generation.
“Everybody says they’re American, but I’m American Polish, so its kind of nice to learn something that’s from my culture that not many people know about,” said Peter Muzia, president of Hejnal Polish American Dancers of Long Island. Hejnal performs Polish dances like the Mazurka, all while in traditional attire. While every member is under 26, Muzia still worries about the future.
“Polish people, I see them at the Pulaski day parade painted red and white, but I don’t see a lot of them down at practices. So it’s just mainly they’re thinking of themselves as Polish-Americans but they’re not embracing their culture,” he said, “if you don’t participate in some of the cultural events, it loses its value, if you’re not doing something it’s gonna’ go kind of extinct.”
The Polish American Congress held the first full meeting of its Long Island chapter on April 13, 2008, in the Polish National Club in Hempstead. Following is multimedia coverage in the form of a slideshow and video snippets
Click on photos below to view captions. The online album can be found here.
Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.
Vice President Kazimierz Nietupski discussed the importance of the meeting. A transcript of this interview is available here.
Zbigniew Krawczyk is an active member of the Polish American Congress. A transcript of this interview is available here.
Anthony Muzia is a long time member of Hejnal, and describes his experiences. View the interview by clicking on the embedded player below. A transcript of this interview is available here.
Want to visit important locations for the Polish community on Long Island? Explore the map below.
Want to find out more about the Polish community? Here are some helpful links:
- Figures from the 2000 Census show Poles to be Nassau County’s fourth most numerous nationality.
- The American Polish Council of Long Island fosters social, civic, and cultural activities.
- The Pulaski Parade is one of New York City’s biggest celebrations for Polish-Americans, held on Oct. 5.
- Hejnal Polish American Dancers of Long Island is a traditional dance group based in Hempstead, Long Island.
- Though they may be young, Hejnal often performs the Polish 16th century dance The Mazurka.
- The Kosciuszko Foundation is a national Polish organization based in New York which offers grants to students, scholars, and artists in order to strengthen the bond between Poles and Americans.
- A comprehensive online resource on Polish organizations.
- What’s zupa ogórkowa? This Polish food glossary can help.
- A short description of classic Polish foods.
Want to know how I produced this project? Check out my production memo.
