Solidarity on the East Side

Erie Polish Americans

Abstract

To understand the political legacy of Polish Americans in Erie, it is necessary to first review the political situation from which they emigrated. The political attitudes of the Poles while in Poland deeply affected their organizations and ideals once they arrived on American soil. The uniqueness of Poland during the nineteenth century - it did not exist on any map - is a vital factor concerning not only the types of Poles who emigrated, but also when and why they came.