Polish American Congress in CaliforniaHistory and activities of Northern and Southern California PAC
by Gillian Olechno-Huszcza (From material supplied by Wojciech Winkler (North California), Chris Ciesiolkiewicz-Kolski and Michael M. Dutkowski (South California))
The Polish American Congress was originally established in 1944 at a special convention attended by 5,000 representatives from Polonia organizations nationwide, held in Buffalo, New York, over the Memorial Day weekend. Designed as an umbrella organization it comprised 3,000 Polish-American organizations as well as allowing for individual membership. In September 1944 a California - Arizona Division was formed, remaining part of the national organization but concerned also with local issues.
The PAC is the chief political interest group representing Polish - Americans on the local, national and international levels. It has consistently supported Poland's right to self - determination and national sovereignty, beginning with the 1945 United Nations Conference in San Francisco and the 1946 Paris Peace Conference.
Over the years the PAC has made many noteworthy contributions to the benefit of Poland and Polonia. It initiated legislation enabling the resettiement into the United States of over 200,000 refugees and members of the Polish Armed Forces who fought under the British - U.S. command in World War II; it promoted the establishment of the U.S. Congress Select Committee to investigate the Katyn Massacre; it lobbied for the enactment by the U.S. Congress of the Polish Veterans' Bill, which secured medical and hospital care for Polish veterans of World War l and II. During President Reagan's term of office it pushed for the implementation of sanctions against the Polish People's Republic after martial law was established in Poland in December, 1981.
The Polish American Congress has consistently supported Polish - Americans in running for office at all levels of government. With PAC backing legislation was enacted providing permanent resident status to martial law refugees who had been granted temporary residence permits under the Extended Voluntary Departure privilege. It helped to obtain an increase in the number of Polish refugees permitted to enter the U.S. from Eastern Europe who had remained in Italy and other European countries. In 1981 the PAC set up the "Relief for Poland" program under the auspices of the PAC Charitable Foundation, which has sent shipments worth over $125,000,000.00 to Poland over the past eight years. Distribution to those in need is managed by the Polish Episcopate Charity Commission.
Northern California Division
The Northern California Division was created in 1968 as an outgrowth of the Millennium Committee, which had existed since 1964 and was the first organization coordinating Polish - Americans in Northern California. At that time 12 member organizations belonged to the Committee. At a general meeting of the P.A.C. chapter in San Francisco a motion was made to change the name of the chapter to P.A.C. Northern California Division. The motion was passed and bylaws were established.
Among the many lasting accomplishments of the Division are: the pastoral mission in San Fransicso; the Polish Language School; a folk dance group; the Polish radio "cultural hour"; Nasze Wiadamosci, a quarterly newsietter; the annual "Bazar" which provides the financial base of the Division and a telephone information center. In December 1981 the declaration of martial law in Poland changed the character of P.A.C. activities, focusing them almost entirely on Polish affairs. The Division now concentrates on spreading information about Poland's historical role in the world and propagating cooperation between American democracy and the people of Poland in civic, ideological, cultural, social and economic life.
Well-known Polish-Americans in Northern California who had held office in the organization over its twenty-five year history include Wojciech Winkler, Jerzy Lerski, Stanislaw Sliwinski, Jozef Jedd, Jack Purat, Antoni Zukowski and many other too numerous to mention. Christopher A. Kerosky is the current president.
Southern California Division
On the local level the PAC has been most active in grass-roots issues. The Anfi - Defamation Committee succeeded in obtaining the inclusion of a vignette on the Polish Victims of World War II in the California Model Curriculum on Human Rights and Genocide, for use in the public schools. It was very active in organizing events at the time of the Pope's visit to Los Angeles; it has held Polonia Awards Banquets and sponsored the successful Solidarity Run for Freedom for several years. Each year the PAC sponsors an official Los Angeles County Celebration of the Polish Constitution of May 3, 1791. Its most recent activity was the establishment of a Committee to assist Poles in Russia. The PAC was also active at the time of President Lech Walesa's visit to Los Angeles, and has supported the newly - established Consulate - General of the Republic of Poland. It has also assisted victims of the 1994 Los Angeles Earthquake. Among other activities it supports the Polish Millennium Library and is very active in Polish Scouting activities. It cooperated with Solidarnosc of California and other ethnic anti - communist organizations in the long struggle for freedom of the captive nations until the fall of the communist system in 1989. A memorial plaque honoring Father Jerzy Popieluszko, a pro - Solidarity priest killed by the Polish police has been placed at the John Paul II Polish Center in Yorba Linda. The PAC cooperated with Czechs, Slovaks and Hungarians in their efforts to obtain full participation of their countries in NATO. The California-Arizona Division has changed rts composition over the years. In 1968 a Northern California Division was formed, and in 1980 Arizona formed its own Division. The original California - Arizona Division based in Los Angeles then became the Southern California Division which, after a series of administrative changes was restructured, with new bylaws adopted in 1986. At that time it consisted of four Chapters, based in Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego and Santa Barbara, with offices located in Canoga Park. Further changes were effected in 1993. Under a new name the Polish American Congress of Southern California, Inc., and the Polish American Charities of Southern California were incorporated in California as separate and independent legal entities, sharing the same Board of Directors. The first of these entities replaced the Southern California Division and is totally independent from, but remains associated with, the Polish American Congress headquartered in Chicago.
The Polish American Congress of Southern California now has three chapters, The Los Angeles chapter, the Orange County chapter and the San Diego chapter. During this period of change the Auditing Committee was re-established under the chairmanship of Anthony Krawczak. As part of the Polish American Charities of Southern California several sub-committees were formed, including the PAC Medical Supplies to Poland Committee chaired by Stanislaw Grzanka, the PAC Relief to Poles in the former USSR Committee chaired by Frank Kosowicz and the PAC Hospice Assistance Committee chaired by Barbara Juchnowska. At the 1994 meeting in Skokie, lllinois in June 1994 the PAC of Southern California on its own initiative was elected by the National PAC Board of Directors as the National Coordinator of Relief to Poles in the former Soviet Bloc.
Many well-known local Polish Americans have been active over the years in the PAC. The officers for 1994 are Michael Mieczyslaw Dutkowski, President; Chris Ciesiolkiewicz - Kolski, Past-President and Vice-President for the Polish Agenda; Richard Kobzi, Vice-President for the American Agenda; Lucy Borik, Secretary; Marek Trocinski, Treasurer; Marty Cepielik, Los Angeles Regional Vice-President; Jacek Chilecki, Orange Regional Vice-President; Leon Kulikowski, San Diego Regional Vice-President, Richard Widerynski, Vice-President, Public Relations. The Board of Directors includes Irene Kellner, Florence Swait, Florence Beane - Zakrzewska, Grazyna Dabrowska, Regina Kobzi, Ray Kulvicki, Lech Pisarski, Stanislaw Czarnota, Zbigniew Kowalski, Jean Breese, Denis Bielecki, David Afinowicz, Danuta Wojcik, and Frank Kosowicz. Other members of the Board include Father Andrzej Masiejak, Chaplain; Martin Krawiec, Legal Counsel; Danuta Myszkowska - Pilip, Accountant and Norbert Cichocki, President's Assistant.
The San Diego Chapter, established by M. Dutkowski on ApriI 24,1994 is chaired by Leon Kulikowski. Officers and members of the Board include Dr. J. Pasternak, Dr. Stanley Raczak (Deputies), Ludwika Juras - Smith (secretary), Halina Bogdanowicz (Treasurer), Board members Roman Krzyanowski, Mariuszka Polak, Dr. Halina Polan, St. Ratycz and Fr. Stanislaw Kowalski. The chapter has 69 individual and 8 organizational members, including the Ignacy Paderewski Society (A. Saling), the Nicolas Copernicus Fund (D. Bielecki), PNA #1443 (E. Chrzanowski), Polonia Folk Dancers (E. Chrzanowski), Polish Resistance Assn. AK (Z.Jankiewicz), Polonia of San Diego (J. Andzelm), St. Maximilian Kolbe Ch. (Rev. St. Kowalski), San Diego - Szczecin Prov. (A. Saling).
The Los Angeles Chapter is chaired by Marty Cepielik. Officers include Joanna Giedzinska, Denis Smokowicz and others. Fr. Andrzej Maslejak is Chaplain. The Chapter has 78 individual and 31 organizational members, including the Heart for Children (J. Pyter), Cives Leopoliensis (A. Michalowski), Friends of John Paul Fund (K. Cybulski), Guardian Angel Polish Church (Rev. E. Kalata), Krakusy Folk Dancers (E. Fitkowski), Orphan Mary's Foundation (B. & M. Latos), Our Lady of the Bright Mount Church (Rev. A. Maslejak), PAC Anti-Defamation Committee (T. Polak), Polam Federal Credit Union (C. Hiller), Podhale Folk Dancers (R. & J. Sobanski), Poland's Millenium Library (D. Zawadzka), Polish Air Force Veterans Assn. (B. Karpinska), Polish Alma Mater School (F. Tuszynska), Polish Radio Hour in Los Angeles (L. Pisarski), Polish Resistance Assn. AK (A. Nizynski), Pol-Am Business and Professional CIub (M. Krawiec), Polish Senior Citizens' CIub (J. Narebska), Polish University CIub (G. Olechno-Huszcza), Polish Association of Former Political Prisoners (O. Klejnot), PNA #2644 (S. Grzanka), PNA #3112 (J. Giedzinski), PNA #3139 (R. Widerynski), Polish Women's Alliance #35 (H. Simmons), Polish Veterans Association of WW II SPK #43 (0. Klejnot), Polish Community Center of Los Angeles (C. Ciesiolkiewicz - Kolski), Voice for Independent Poland (C. Ciesiolkiewicz), White Eagle CIub (C. Ciesiolkiewicz).
The Orange Chapter was established in Apri11988 with M. Dutkowski as chapter chair. It is now chaired by J. Chilecki. Officers and Board members include Eugenia Carter, Edward Baczynski (deputies), Danuta Myszkowska - Pilip (Treasurer), Al Bakowski (Secretary), Board members A. Grochulski, H. Bartak, H. Pawlowska, Doris Ganick, J. Lesniewska, Fr. Joseph Karp is the Chaplain. The Chapter has 69 individual and 15 organizational members including the California Economic Forum for Poland (K. Mozingo), the Gorale Folk Dancers (R. Kobzi), the H. Modjeska Arts and Cutural CIub (Z. Czajkowski), John Paul II Polish Center (Rev. J. Karp), Polish Tennis Association of Southern California St. Bochenski), Polish American Sports Foundation (A. Kuryllo), Polish Genealogical Society of California (J. Penstone), PNA #73 (R. Kobzi), PNA #3118 (E. Baker), PNA #3193 (B. Harbar), PNA #3259 Piast (G. Chilecki), Polish School Yorba Linda (E. Rudzinska), Piast News (R. Maks), Polish Radio Ela (E. Jodlowska).
From: Polish Americans in California, vol. II. National Center for Urban Ethnic Affairs & Polish American Historical Association. California 1995.