CCSU's Elihu Burritt Library includes Special Collections & Archives to preserve and improve access to university and Connecticut history. The department prepares finding aids that describe available collections to support scholars in their research. The Connecticut Polish American Archives CPAA contains materials related to the history of the Polish American community in the United States, with an emphasis on the history of Polish Americans in Connecticut and New England. The GLBTQ Archives holds materials related to the struggle for gay rights, especially in Connecticut. It provides comprehensive coverage of local political and cultural history from the 1970s to today.
The collection illustrates the history of an immigrant organization for young women of Polish descent devoted to friendship, charitable work, and scholarship. It covers years from 1926 until 1988. It contains correspondence, minutes, and an extensive collection of clippings and photographs.
Joseph Kleszczynski was born in Poland in 1928. He completed his primary education in Poland, and as a teenager joined the Polish Underground Army in 1943. With advancement of the Soviet Army in the beginning of 1945, he decided to flee Poland and eventually joined the Polish Army in Italy under General Wladyslaw Anders. With his army unit he left for Great Britain, where he attended college. In 1952, he immigrated to the United States, completed his education and worked for the U.S. Postal Service. He was active in many Polish American organizations and taught Polish language courses in the town of West Hartford, CT. In 2011, he was one of the honorees during the Immigrant Day at the state Capitol in Hartford. He passed away in 2014.
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.
Ewa Slusarek and her husband Jacek were involved in the Solidarity support movement in the United States after introduction of Martial Law in Poland on December 13, 1981. The Slusarek's established the Solidarity Support Committee of Rhode Island to aid the Solidarity Labor Union organization in Poland. Such support committees were established in several states and worldwide. There was a call for the establishment of an umbrella organization that would coordinate activities of these support organizations. In 1983 a group of representatives from these organizations met in Buffalo, NY and formed an organization called "Conference of Solidarity Support Committees" (CSSC). The collection includes documentation and activities related to the formation of these organizations, broad correspondence and related legal documents, press releases and clippings.
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.
The Polish National Home of Hartford (PNH) traces its roots to the Polish Catholic church of SS. Cyril and Methodius parish in Hartford, Connecticut. As Polish immigrants continued to arrive, a larger church was needed, and so a new church was built in 1917. That same year, a group of Polish immigrants came together and organized the Polish National Corporation (PNC), and bought the old SS. Cyril and Methodius building. They used it as a social hall, remodeled it, and renamed it to White Eagle Hall. After years of growth, White Eagle Hall was no longer sufficient for the needs of the community, and so it was decided by the PNC to purchase a parcel of land, in order to construct a new building to meet their growing needs. These efforts culminated in 1929 when funds were raised and construction began, and a year later in 1930, construction of the building was completed. In 1929, the name of the organization was changed from Polish National Corporation to Polish National Home of Hartford, Inc. The PNH promoted Polish culture and hosted numerous activities and events over its many decades in operation in support of this goal. It also served as a gathering place for Polish-Americans and numerous Polish-American organizations held their meetings at the PNH. The PNH engaged in various charitable acts during its many years in operation. Their scholarship program was very important and promoted, The Polish National Home Founders' Scholarship, which gave numerous scholarships to students of Polish descent. After decade of prosperity, the organization experienced financial difficulties, as well as declining membership, as a result the PNH was sold on December 30, 2022. Although the building was sold, the PNH as an organization still exists.
Czeslaw Gieniewski's papers include a family history going back to the January Uprising of 1863, through participation in the Pilsudski legions and regaining of Poland's independence on November 11, 1918, and the Bolshevik War 1919-1921. Mr. Gieniewski describes his and his family's deportation to Russia and enlistment to the Polish Army, which was formed in the USSR, after a political pact made between the Polish government and Jozef Stalin was signed in June of 1941. General Wladyslaw Anders was in command of the Polish Army on Russian territory. Mr. Gieniewski participated in the battles in Italy in 1944 and 1945, including the famous battle of Monte Cassino. He immigrated to the US and participated in veterans' affairs and was active in the Polish American community in New Jersey, where he still lives with his family.
Czeslaw Gieniewski's papers include a family history going back to the January Uprising of 1863, through participation in the Pilsudski legions and regaining of Poland's independence on November 11, 1918, and the Bolshevik War 1919-1921. Mr. Gieniewski describes his and his family's deportation to Russia and enlistment to the Polish Army, which was formed in the USSR, after a political pact made between the Polish government and Jozef Stalin was signed in June of 1941. General Wladyslaw Anders was in command of the Polish Army on Russian territory. Mr. Gieniewski participated in the battles in Italy in 1944 and 1945, including the famous battle of Monte Cassino. He immigrated to the US and participated in veterans' affairs and was active in the Polish American community in New Jersey, where he still lives with his family.
The Karpinski and Sadoski family collection consists of family photographs taken at the beginning of the century. It illustrates the life of Polish immigrants in New Britain and surrounding towns.
Collection consists of legal documents of Jan and Elzbieta Merta, who in 1950 immigrated to the U.S. from a displaced persons camp in Germany under the Displaced Persons Act.
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