Polish Prosperity

When most immigrants decided to come to America they really did not have a great deal of information about what would lie ahead. “America is full of opportunities!” “Everyone will have the life they have always dreamed of in America!” This idea of achieving the American Dream as well as a leap of faith was all people had to go off of before deciding to make new lives. People from all around the world took this chance and found better lives and greater opportunities to start fresh on the opposite side of the globe. My family, for example, came from Poland searching for their own piece of the great American pie; hoping to increase their chances of living better lives. These great promises of America lead millions of immigrants to this great land in order to create the legacy we are all apart of today.

When my great grandparents came over from Poland to Ellis Island in New York they were actually on the same ship but had never met. They immediately went to find work and grow accustom to their new home. Eventually through fate they met, fell in love and married soon after. I interviewed a relative in order to find out more about their story and how they made their mark in this new home. I was told that my great grandparents, along with other Polish people were really the backbone of middle class America at the time. Most learned English very quickly in order to adapt to their new surroundings and got jobs that would be considered “blue collar.” Men typically worked on assembly lines, in meat packing, or on the railroads being built nearby. They followed their traditions like religion (typically Catholic), received a neighborhood paper in Polish, and continued use of their native language usually outside the workplace. Their hard work and dedication paved the way for future generations to go a step beyond and continue to leave a positive legacy behind.

My great grandparents worked so hard in their new country in order to give their children a better life than they had growing up as well as back in their native land. Even with eleven children to look after they managed to provide great moral lessons and traditions that are still being passed down to me and my younger relatives today. By doing the jobs others typically would not prefer, and by working hard everyday the people of Poland were able to leave a positive impression on the economy and the country itself. This momentum created by their excellent work ethic allowed their children to attend college so they could provide more for their families, which in turn allowed their children’s children to become more educated and fulfill greater jobs and places in the world today. I know that without the dedication and determination of my ancestors and relatives I would not be able to attend a major university on scholarship or dream of one day attending graduate school. The Polish legacy left behind by my relatives is proof that hard work and willingness to adapt to new surroundings without losing who you are can really make a difference.