Kalejdoskop: Spotlight on Polish Americans in Minnesota
The Polish American Medical Society of Minnesota (Minnesota Polish Medical Society) conducted extensive oral histories with Polish-American Minnesotans who came to Minnesota as political refugees who had participated in the “Solidarnosc/Solidarity” movement in Poland in the 1980s. These interviews highlight Polish-American Minnesotans’ involvement in social movements at home and abroad and explores how social activism in an immigrant’s history informs and influences their life and involvement in the State of Minnesota.
Interviews were conducted mainly in Polish. The transcripts are available in both Polish and English, with copious annotations to explain the history of the Solidarity movement for those researchers who may not be as familiar with that time in Polish history.
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$5,846,000 in fiscal year 2020 and $7,004,000 in fiscal year 2021 are for statewide historic and cultural grants to local, county, regional, or other historical or cultural organizations or for activities to preserve significant historic and cultural resources. Money must be distributed through a competitive grant process. The Minnesota Historical Society must administer the money using established grant mechanisms, with assistance from the advisory committee created under Laws 2009, chapter 172, article 4, section 2, subdivision 4, paragraph (b), item (ii).
Available upon request. grants@mnhs.org
As a result of this project, we will produce oral histories for the historic record that shine light on Polish-American Minnesotans? involvement in social movements at home and abroad, and explore the ways that social activism in an individual immigrant?s history informs and influences their life and involvement in Minnesota. Transcribed interviews will be hosted on a new webpage for public access, as well as submitted to the Immigrant Oral Histories Library at MNHS.
Available upon request, grants@mnhs.org