Part 1 (Milwaukee Mss 72, Audio 2035A/1-6): Original Collection, 1948-1980
Physical Description: 2.0 cubic feet (6 archives boxes) and 6 tape recordings 
Scope and Content Note

This part is arranged in two series: WISCONSIN DIVISION RECORDS and NATIONAL PAC RECORDS.

The WISCONSIN DIVISION RECORDS date from 1948 to 1980, and consist of by-laws, membership records, administrative records, and correspondence, with related materials. Within the files of administrative records are minutes of annual meetings, financial and treasurers' reports, resolutions, and other papers pertaining to the meetings. Most of the documents are in Polish. Supplementing the administrative files are four tape recordings of the May 21, 1978 executive board meeting and of the delegates' meeting, January 21, 1979. The tapes are in English.

Much of the general correspondence in the collection concerns local celebrations and commemorations of anniversaries in Polish and Polish American history. There are letters describing arrangements for public ceremonies, letters of invitation and regret, and programs from events. Among the occasions observed were the 50th anniversary of the restoration of independence to Poland, 1968; the 50th anniversary of the restoration of independence to Poland, 1968; the 30th anniversary of the invasion of Poland in 1939; commemoration of the Katyn Forest Massacre in 1939; and the American Revolution Bicentennial, 1979. In addition, there is correspondence opposing selection of Munich as Milwaukee's Sister City (1965) and letters written to protest a Nazi rally in Milwaukee in August 1977. Other correspondence concerns administrative matters, such as perceived PAC election irregularities (1977 and 1978), PAC national finances (1968-1974, 1977), membership recruitment (1977-1978), problems with internal communication (12 December 1975 and 16 January 1976), and the establishment of a new Texas State Division (23 March 1971). The Wisconsin Division was also involved with the 1977 Milwaukee public schools desegregation plan, and from 1972 to 1976 sought veterans' benefits for veterans of allied military forces from both World Wars.

Specific correspondence files include those on defamation, stressing formation of a positive Polish identity, elimination of defamatory remarks and anti-Polish jokes, and establishment of “Project Pole,” to combat negative stereotypes; and files concerning celebrations of the Polish Millennium of Christianity and Kopernik Quincentennial. The file on Polish ethnicity promotes use of the Polish language in Milwaukee area churches, in the media, and through language classes; establishment of a Chair of Polish history at the University of Wisconsin; formation of cultural clubs; and the development of the Polish exhibit at the Milwaukee Public Museum. There is a file of correspondence concerning United States foreign policy, primarily consisting of correspondence between the Wisconsin PAC and representatives in Congress on matters pertaining to Poland.

NATIONAL PAC RECORDS primarily consist of records of meetings of the Supreme Council (1962), board of directors (1956-1978), and of national conventions (1960-1976). Included in the files are minutes, agenda, committee reports, correspondence, speeches, and materials pertaining to the business under consideration. . There are also several versions of the national by-laws from different dates; national newsletters; bulletins of the Illinois Division of the PAC, with a few issues from the Michigan, New York, and Ohio PAC groups; and several “Komunikats” and news abstracts of the Studium Spraw Polskich, (the North American Study Center for Polish Affairs), a group of intellectuals associated with the PAC from 1976-1977.

Series: Wisconsin Division Records

By-laws, 1964, 1975, 1980

Membership records, 1971-1980

Administrative records, 1948-1980, undated

Wisconsin Division Executive Board meeting, 1978 May 21
Note: Formerly Milwaukee Tape 8.

PAC delegates meeting, 1979 January 21
Note: Formerly Milwaukee Tape 8.

Correspondence and related materials

General

1956-1969

1970-1981, undated

Regarding defamation

1963-1978 April

1978 May-1979

Regarding Pope John Paul II, 1978

Kopernik Committee, 1972-1974

Millennium Committee, 1962-1967, 1970, undated

Regarding Polish ethnicity, 1956-1979, undated

United States foreign policy

1956-1971

1972-1980, undated

Series: National PAC Records

National by-laws, 1960, 1970, 1972, 1976, undated

Discussion and vote on national bylaws, election on officers: audio recordings

Supreme Council meeting, 1962

Board of Directors meetings

1956-1975

1976-1978

Convention minutes and other records

1960, 1964, 1968, 1970, 1972

1972, 1976

Newsletters, 1969-1978

Bulletins, 1974-1979

Studium, 1978-1979

Miscellaneous, 1976-1979, undated

Part 2 (Milwaukee Mss 72, PH 6548, Audio 2035A/7-8): Additions, 1979-2003
Physical Description: 4.4 cubic feet (11 archives boxes), 0.3 cubic feet of photographs (1 archives box and 1 oversize folder) and 2 tape recordings 
Scope and Content Note

This part is arranged into four series, ADMINISTRATIVE FILES, SUBJECT FILES, PUBLICATIONS, and VISUAL MATERIALS, organized alphabetically. There is some overlap in the content of files in all four series due to the interrelated nature of the organization, its interests and its events.

The records contained in the ADMINISTRATIVE FILES date from approximately 1964 to 2003, and include activity reports, bulletins, by-laws, constitutions, correspondence, financial reports, meeting minutes, membership files, newsletters, and record books. The constitutions and by-laws - in both Polish and English - included in the collection are mostly undated, spanning approximately from the creation of PAC Wisconsin up to 2000, after which the chronological files diminish drastically. The correspondence included in the administrative files relates primarily to the activities of three PAC Wisconsin leaders: Eugene Kaluzny, Edward Wojtkowski, and Mark Lazar. A substantial amount of this correspondence is related to some legal questions arising from questions of leadership and some general internal discord. The community events files detail the activities of PAC Wisconsin in the Milwaukee area, including concerts, lecture series, and banquets. Documentation of these events includes flyers, brochures, pamphlets, and letters relating to the planning and execution of the events. Many of these events were sponsored in conjunction with the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and other Polish community organizations in the area, and larger publications related to these events can found in the PUBLICATIONS series.

The SUBJECT FILES contains mostly research and correspondence relating to PAC Wisconsin's interests, providing the foundation for many of their commemorative events and activities. Most of these files and their names were already established by PAC Wisconsin, so loose records were incorporated into existing files when pertinent. Other files were created according to subject categories and organizational interests outlined in the Organizational History. The SUBJECT FILES are composed almost entirely of newspaper clippings, as well as reproductions of articles and book chapters, and transcriptions of speeches from momentous occasions in Polish and English. Some examples of subject files representing matters of considerable interest for PAC Wisconsin include: Polish-Jewish relations, Polish-American cultural issues and ethnicity, Polish history, Janusz Korczak, the Katyn Massacre, the Rev. Waclaw Kruszka, the Polish Relief Fund, Solidarity, the Martial Law Period, Eastern European issues under Communism, and Polish Churches in Wisconsin.

The PUBLICATIONS include all materials produced by PAC Wisconsin partners and related member organizations, as well as general published material on topics related to the interests of PAC Wisconsin. These include pamphlets, brochures, flyers, sheet music, and several books. Most of these publications are relating to banquets and other commemorative events organized and/or sponsored by PAC Wisconsin or its partners. Most of the pamphlets are dated, however most of the books and most of the sheet music are without dates. The sheet music provides an interesting overview of traditional Polish chorals, mazurkas, folk music and other scores used in PAC Wisconsin events.

The VISUAL MATERIALS series includes photographs of people, places and events documented elsewhere in the collection. There are also many negatives in the collection, some of which mirror the prints in the collection, but several of which have no print. The highlights of the VISUAL MATERIALS series include photographs of several member organizations, many photos of Polish dancers in costume, theater troupes, musical events and authors in the cultural events folder and several photographs of businesses in the 1930s with their owners in the Polish businesses in Wisconsin folder.

Series: Administrative Files

Bulletins/newsletters, 1983-1989

Bulletin file, 1983-1989

Constitution/by-laws, 1964-1994

Community events, 1979-1988

Chronological files

1964-1979

1981-1986

1986-1989

1989-2001

Landmark committees, 1973-1974

Lazar correspondence, 1983-1995

Membership, 1974-1995

Meeting minutes, 1981-1984

Meeting protocols and agendas, 1971-1989

Polish Relief Fund correspondence, 1984-1989

Record books

1981

1977-1984

Various statistics, 1984-1983

Wojtkowski

Correspondence, 1968-1989

Personal file

1975-1986

1977-1997

Series: Subject Files

Auschwitz convent, 1987-1989

Copernicus event, 1973

Jaruzelski demonstration, 1985

Jewish-American Council meeting, 1998

Katyn, 1980-1989

Korczak, 1989-1993

Korczak lecture series, 1979-1995

Kruszka, 1987

Kruszka Memorial Celebration, 1986-1989

Milwaukee ethnic information, 1909-1994

Poland/Eastern Europe, 1987-1989

Polish American Ethnic Committee, 1906-1986

Polish cultural events, 1978-1997

Polish churches in Wisconsin, 1895-1898, 1964-1987

Polish Jewish-relations, 1979-1999

Polish Radio Cultural Hour, 1954-1994

Stas Radosh, 1984-1987

Sobieski 300 anniversary, 1983

Solidarity, 1980-1983

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 1981-1994

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, events, 1986-1998

World War II anniversary, 1995

Yalta Conference anniversary, 1975

Series: Publications

Ecumenical Prayer Service, 1982

Federation Life Insurance, 1976

Holy Name Parish

1954-1989

1983-1989

New Life Chorus, 1987

“Poland: Facts and Figures,” 1971

Polish American Congress, 1944-1994

Polonia Appeal to Arms, 1987

Polish Army Recruiting, 1967

Polish Center of Wisconsin, 2000

[folder number skipped]

Polish Embassy, 1991

Polish League of American Veterans, 1977-1988

Polish Millennium Committee, 1966

Polish National Church, 1971-1997

Polish National Alliance, 1975-1995

Polish Women's Cultural Club, 1981

Polonia Sport Club, 2000

Polish Women's Cultural Club, 1981

Rola Boza, 1973

Syrena Polish Folk Dance Ensemble, 1985

United Circle Choirs, 1932-1982

Series: Photographs

Cultural events, undated

Headshots, undated

Kruszka exhibits, 1987

Kruszka Memorial Celebration, 1987

Polish businesses in Wisconsin, 1939

Polish churches, 1900-1930

Sports and community activities, 1932

Wojtkowski events, undated

Group photos

Series: Audio recordings

Negotiations with University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, restructuring of Polish American Congress; relationship with Catholic League; petition for Polish magnet school in Milwaukee, undated

Life in communist Poland; recruiting new generations into the Polish American Congress, undated