Collections : [Central Connecticut State University]

Thaddeus W. Maliszewski a lawyer, military officer, civic leader, was born in Hartford in 1922 and died in 2009. Graduate of Hillyer Junior College (Hartford), Wesleyan University (Middletown, Conn.) and University of Connecticut Law School. During WWII he served in the Pacific, was a member of the National Guard and Governor's Military Staff, finished his military career in the rank of Brigadier General. He served as a judge for several courts, was very active in the Democratic Party. For many years served in different positions in the Polish American Congress on state and national level. In addition, Maliszewski was active in veterans' organizations, Polish American cultural organizations as well as in political organizations. The collection consists of his personal and professional papers along with information about Poland and Polish American culture.

The 44 Club, a social organization for Polish American professionals with university degrees, was established in November 1939. The Club fostered and promoted interest in Polish language, culture, and intellectual advancement among Polish Americans. The main activities of the club were monthly social gatherings at the houses of members and social fundraisers for scholarships for youths of Polish origin. The collection features materials related to the history of the club. This includes constitutions, by laws, minutes, financial data and information about social events. It covers the years from 1939 untill 2000.

The collection consists of correspondence between Roman Galinski, who lived in the US since 1922, and other prominent political figures in Poland, who were sympathizers of Narodowa Demokracja, the Polish political party of nationalistic character. Mr. Galinski was himself very active in various political organizations and wrote extensively on the issue of Polish politics and nationalism, sometimes under a pseudonym Miroslaw Kosinski. He was a great opponent of Jozef Pilsudski and his political party, and on the other hand vas devoted to Roman Dmowski and his political views of Narodowa Demokracja. Collection includes photographs of local Polish American prominent figures. The collection contains a dozen or so anti-semitic publications from pre-war Poland.

Waclaw Graczewski, a first generation immigrant from Poland, came to the U.S. at the turn of the century. He was active in many social organizations established by Polish immigrants in Thompsonville, Connecticut. The collection consists of constitutions, by-laws and dues paid to these organizations.

The collection consists of personal papers of Stefan Wawrowski, a prisoner of Dachau concentration camp, who immigrated to the United States in 1950. Mr. Wawrowski settled in Hartford, Connecticut and was active in many Polish American political and cultural organizations. The collection is enriched by many photographs from the Dachau concentration camp after libration in 1945 and from Displaced Person camp where Mr. Wawrowski stayed and worked in the camp administration until he received a refugee status and was allowed to immigrate to the United States. Also family photographs from Poland and photos from various local events are included.

Stanislaw Edward Bask Mostwin was an achieved war hero and political activist in his lifetime. He was awarded several military decorations during WWII and after immigrating to the United States became actively involved in Polish and Polish American causes. He belonged to groups such as the Polish National Democratic Committee, Polish Heritage Society in Maryland, Polish American Congress, and North American Study Center for Polish Affairs (STUDIUM). The collection includes papers from these groups, especially STUDIUM, and other essays and writings on the state of Poland at the time and its history.

Mr. and Mrs. Bogucki lived in Philidelphia, PA. They were both educated and very active in many Polish American organizations on the state and national level. In addition to organizing and participating in many events, they supported worthy endeavors related to Polish history, culture, and language.

Walter and Florence Lasinski were historians of the Polish National Catholic Church (PNCC) and Polish American life. They resided in New Jersey and were members of the PNCC, a reformed Roman Catholic Church started by Francis Hodur in 1897 in Scranton, Pennsylvania. The collection includes extensive information about parishes (past and present) and clergy members in the PNCC from its creation.

The Polish Club, Inc. was a social club organized by group of Poles active in the Bridgeport area to promote Polish culture. The club closely cooperated with the Polish Program at Sacred Heart University in Bridgeport. The Polish Club was officially incorporated in 1979 and was very active until the late 1990's, yet later its activities diminished. Collection consists of material documenting club activities from 1979 till 1996.

This collection includes letters written in Polish to members of the Gromko family, along with genealogical documents, marriage and death certificates, and family photographs. The letters provide insight into life in Poland during and after World War II, offering a vivid portrayal of family experiences and everyday challenges.

Adam T. Raczkowski, a World War I veteran of the American army, was gassed by Germans in France in 1918. He received the Purple Heart 65 years later. Mr. Raczkowski was active in the Polish Falcons in Southington, CT and participated in their numerous sports events. Collection includes a unique photo from a Falcon's field Day in Meriden CT in 1915.

The American Council for Polish Culture (ACPC) initiated the establishment of the American Center of Polish Culture (ACPC) in Washington, D.C. Since the acronyms of both organizations are the same we refer to the American Center of Polish Culture as the Center. In 1985, during the annual conference of the American Council of Polish Culture (ACPC) it was decided that a Polish Center has to be established in the US capitol and an initial fundraising campaign had started. In 1989 the American Center of Polish Culture was incorporated and in 1991 a building was purchased. The Center was established with a significant help and support of the American Council of Polish Culture and individual supporters from the entire country. However with time the donations diminished and the organization didn't have the means to run such an expensive Center. In January of 2010 the National Polish Center, that was the official name of the Center, was acquired by the Kosciuszko Foundation and become the KF's Washington DC Center. The collection consists of administrative and financial records covering years 1984-2010.

American Council for Polish Culture (ACPC) is one of the oldest Polish American cultural organizations. Beginning in 1948, and still existing today, the ACPC serves as a national umbrella organization for many local cultural clubs and organizations. The ACPC collection chronicles a wide range of the organization's activities. It illustrates the beginning, changes, and development of the organization supported with extensive correspondence, minutes, reports, and annual conventions materials.

Collection illustrates establishment and years of activities of the Association of Polish Priests of Connecticut (APPC). The association was initially established under the Polish name Zjednoczenie Kaplanow Polskich in 1915. The main mission was to establish a religious association of clergy who shared common ethnic heritage. The association represented the interests of Polish clergy within the hierarchy of the Catholic Church, which was almost exclusively run by clergy of the Irish heritage. The APPC was instrumental in organizing the celebration of the Millennium of Polish Christianity in 1966, which was a hallmark of public manifestation of religious and cultural links between Polish Americans and the country of their forefathers. The association made numerous financial contributions to the Catholic Church in Poland and sponsored a major book publication - a biography of Monsignor Bojnowski. In February of 1991 the association became an affiliate member of a national organization - the Polish American Priests Association, which was established in San Antonio, Texas.

William (Bill) Bahlman is an activist and journalist, working since the 1970s to fight for access to medications for all people with HIV and AIDS, and to document this fight through photography and videography. He is currently an associate producer for a weekly news program of GLBTQ interest and serves on AIDS research advisory boards, while living with HIV since the 1980s. This collection includes copies of flyers Mr. Bahlman created for AIDS advocacy campaigns, AIDS-related newspaper articles, and selected testimony before Presidential and Congressional Commissions.

Andrew J. Beck, also known as Andrzej Beck, was an engineering executive who worked in several American engineering companies, where he was responsible for the Eastern European trade during the Cold War years. Beck was born in Poland and was 13 years old when World War II began. He left the country with his mother, Maria Slominska, at the end of September 1939, escaping the Germans and Russians. He is the only son of Jozef Beck, the Polish Minister of Foreign Affairs before WWII. The collection consists of memoirs written by Andrzej Beck for his family, and a DVD of a TVN Polish television production about Jozef Beck. A CD includes interviews with Andrzej Beck and people who were close to his father, Mr. Jozef Beck, during WWII. Andrzej Beck passed away on July 20, 2011, in Fairfield, CT.

In the fall of 2002, Professor Katherine Hermes offered a course in the history department called, "The Historical Imagination" (History 301). The GLBTQ Archives, then known as the Gender Equity Archive, was a main source for the class. Interviewees for an oral history project were chosen from notable activists represented in the archives. The collection is comprised of these interviews.

This collection consists of materials collected by Prof. Stanislaus A. Blejwas relating to the Polish American Congress Connecticut District (PAC CT) from 1981 to 1991. Stanislaus A. Blejwas was a professor of history and the director of the Polish Studies Program at Central Connecticut State University in New Britain, CT. Additionally to his professional activities he was very active in political and cultural Polish American organizations on local and national level, for which he received numerous awards and recognitions. Prof. Blejwas held several positions within the Polish American Congress, Connecticut District (PAC CT) and was a president of the organization from 1983 till 1986.

Collection consists of records of the American Council of Polish Culture (ACPC) compiled by Mr. Alfred Bochenek during his active participation in the organization. It covers the time span of 1971 to 1996. The name of the organization changed in 1988 from American Council of Polish Cultural Clubs (ACPCC) to American Council for Polish Culture (ACPC). Within this collection we refer to the organization as ACPCC and ACPC to reflect the change in the name. Extensive correspondence and membership information illustrate activities of the council from 1971 till 1996.

John Bonelli, a UCONN graduate, is a political activist and community organizer. In 1989 he ran openly gay for the Hartford City Council as the candidate of the People for Change coalition. For years he worked as an activist and consultant in several organizations related to HIV/AIDS issues and as an intern and volunteer in political campaigns. For years Mr. Bonelli was a statewide co-chairperson of the Connecticut AIDS Action Council. This collection consists of administrative records of the council.