The first Polish presence in North America lies shrouded in the mists of historical legend. There most certainly were Poles in the Jamestown colony as early as 1608; yet there exists only fragmentary and inconclusive evidence regarding either an earlier Polish presence or the purpose and activities of those who settled in colonial Virginia. There were also Poles scattered throughout other North American colonies such as those in New Amsterdam and Pennsylvania. Between 1890 and 1910, however, nearly a million Poles arrived in the United States. How the Poles came to settle in the United States and their experience in their new homeland are the subjects of this three-volume work. Written by Waclaw Kruszka, a Polish priest, "Historya Polska w Ameryce" first appeared in his brother's Milwaukee newspaper, "Kuryer Polski" (or "Polish Courier") in 1901 and was originally published in book form in 13 volumes. Kruszka emigrated to Wisconsin in 1893 and became very active in Polish and Catholic circles in Wisconsin and Illinois. His intended purpose in writing his "Historya" was to set forth the history of the Polish communities in America in such a way that their contribution to the development of the United States and the Roman Catholic Church would become widely known. This first part is devoted to a general overview of the Poles in America, discussing their arrival, early Polish priests and religious orders, the Polish press in America, Polish nationalism, and business and professional development. The two following volumes consider the lives of individual Polish settlements in the Midwest, East and far West. This translation from the original Polish presents the first English-language version of Kruszka's pioneering effort. Immigration historians and those interested in the life of Polish-Americans at the turn of the century should find this three-volume book of interest.
