Entering the Promised Land

[kaima]

There are said to be several different waves of Polish immigrants to the US over the last century or so; the first wave was the arrival of the poor and impoverished 100 years ago. Some came to the promised land for opportunity and to leave the griding poverty and oppression behind. Many came to make their fortune and return to return to the homeland to buy some land and establish themselves as independent farmers in the beloved homeland.

The second wave came after WW II, composed of Displaced Persons and people fleeing communism. These were better educated than those in the first wave, and brought with them a variety of skills and experiences. The third wave followed over time and tended to be even better educated and were fleeing political oppression under the communist regieme or better opportunity in the west.

While the life left behind for the first wave was difficult, the life they adapted was often not an easy matter as well. Early last century the US sent a photographer out to investigate and document abuse of labor laws. Among his photographs are those of immigrants and short descriptions of the life they faced with long hours, poor conditions, and often child labor.

More than 5,000 of the photographer's (Lewis Hine) child labor photos are viewable and downloadable from the Library of Congress Web site
lcweb2.loc.gov/pp/nclcquery.html


TITLE: Slebzak family (Polish) working on Bot[t]omley farm, near Baltimore, Md. They have worked here 3 years and one winter at Avery Island, Louisiana. All work except the very smallest. She hangs around the fields. Begin work about 4 A.M. and sometimes works until sunset. (See #838.) Location: Baltimore, Maryland


TITLE: Mary _____________, a Polish girl and her mother, picking berries on Bottomley Farm, Rock Creek, near Baltimore, Md. In the winter they go to Dunbar, La., for oyster shucking. Location: Baltimore, Maryland.


TITLE: A young boy, unable to speak a word of English. Working here. A boy said his name is John Krakowski. Location: Chicopee, Massachusetts.

[bujno]

A while ago I’ve read an interesting article on the role of food in emigration to US. Unfortunately I don’t remember where I read it, or what language was the article written in. Anyway, at least I remember article’s main points, so maybe I still am not lost to the community.
The author claimed that in overpopulated and eternally hungry Europe eating a meal of meat until a feeling of satiety was extremely rare. Those eating mainly potatoes envied bread-eating families. And the bread-eating ones looked at those who could afford a roastbeef from time to time. All in all the main motivation of those leaving for America in 19 century – was to be having enough food. Especially that the news coming from America said that there are unimaginable amounts of meat there and very cheap meat. I remember the comparison, which said that around 1850 meat consumption in United States, was roughly the same as in Eastern Europe in 1950! The article was really excellent and presented how, why and when different kinds of food became popular. The Republican slogan from the 20ties of 20 century was reminded, which if I remember correctly was ‘Chicken on every table, car in every garage’. And that the second part of the slogan turned out to be much easier to fulfil.

[bujno]

Got it! Unfortunately the article is in Polish. In any case, here's a link. And unfortunatey no great pictures which were a part of a paper edition...


www.polityka.pl/archive/do/registry/secure/showArticle?id=3353718

[jimpres]

Chicken in every pot, and a car in every garage.
A lot of meat is consumed in American especially beef, while in Poland it is mostly pork. Beef is expensive.
But the variety in Poland is much, much better then America. America has kielbasa and it's pretty much the same wherever and whatever brand you buy. But in Poland there are so many variations it is hard to remember them all.

Jim