Radzilowski John - Poles in Illinois

This project was made possible by many colleagues, friends, and mentors over the years, particularly those in the Polish American Historical Association (PAHA) and the Polish Institute of Arts and Sciences of America (PIASA). The presidents, boards, and membership of both organizations have given me a Polish-American home in academia. For their camaraderie, solidarity, and expertise, I thank the women scholars who have bolstered my work on Polonia, especially Dr. Mary P. Erdmans, Dr. Anna D. Jaroszyska-Kirchmann, Dr. Grazyna J. Kozaczka, Dr. Karen Majewski, Dr. Anna Mazurkiewicz, Dr. Dorota Praszaowicz, Dr. Agnieszka Stasiewicz-Biekowska, Dr. Pien Versteegh, Dr. Joanna Wojdon, and Dr. Magorzata Zachara. Im particularly grateful for warm encouragement of my work in Polish American studies from the late Dr. Stanislaus A. Blejwas, the late Dr. Thaddeus Radzilowski, Dr. Thomas J. Napierkowski, and Dr. John Bukowczyk, gentlemen and scholars all. A great debt is owed to my wonderful colleagues in Cultural Studies at Columbia College Chicago. For their friendship and collegial warmth, I thank especially Dr. Jaafar Aksikas, Dr. Sean Johnson Andrews, and Dr. Carmelo Esterrich. I thank all my students at Columbia College Chicago for their energy and passion.

My work would not exist at all if not for my profoundly influential high school teacher, Sr. Mary Jerome Rompala, C.R., and my university mentors, Dr. David H. Krause, Dr. David Ferrell Krell, Dr. Michael Naas, and Dr. John Sallis.

My sincere appreciation is extended to Dr. Jeff Hancks. I am in debt to the entire staff of the library at the Polish Museum of America for their assistance, and to our editor Kristine Priddy. This project was supported with Summer Project Completion and Subvention Grants from Columbia College Chicago.

Im deeply grateful for the expertise and dedication of my coauthor Dr. John Radzilowski, who brought this project to fruition.

For their love and many warm memories of Polish holidays, I thank the Aylward, Dankowski, Dolata, Hetzel, Gunkel, and Uzdaska families.

The project wouldnt have been possible without persistent love, support, coffee, and cake from my family: my husband, Dr. David J. Gunkel, my son, Stanisaw J. Gunkel, and our faithful dog Maki. They are truly my most beloved Poles in Illinois.

Ann Hetzel Gunkel, PhD
Chicago, Illinois

This work builds on a foundation of scholarship created over many years by many hands and many minds. The Polish American Historical Association deserves special thanks for fostering that scholarship since its inception in the late 1940s. A particular debt of gratitude is owed to the late Mieczysaw Haiman, the late archivist and scholar Sabina Logisz, scholars Stan Blejwas, John Bukowczyk, Mary P. Erdmans, William Galush, Anna D. Jaroszyska-Kirchmann, Tom Napierkowski, Dominic Pacyga, and James S. Pula, to name but a few. My father, the late Dr. Thaddeus Radzilowski, was a constant source of new ideas and a sounding board for large parts of this work. His insights into important but still largely overlooked aspects of Polish American social history continue to inspire me. My friend and mentor Dr. Joseph Amato also deserves thanks for teaching me to look at the past through the lens of the Annals School and to better understand the mentalities of our ancestors.

Research on this book could not have been completed without the kind help of many people. In particular, I thank the archivists and librarians of the Polish Museum of America in Chicago, especially Julita Siegel, Magorzata Kot, Iwona Bozek, and Jan Lorys. Sister Lea Stefancova, FSJB, archivist of the Diocese of Peoria, and Sister Mary Fran Flynn SSND, archivist of the Diocese of Belleville, provided access to sources and answered questions about Poles in downstate Illinois. Mr. John Krolak of Peru, Illinois, provided additional sources and access to family photographs. Professor Mary Cygan who was one of the guiding spirits behind the creation of the Chicago Oral History Archives in the 1970s,also deserves a word of thanks. The project she helped to oversee greatly enriched this book.

Dr. Jeff Hancks encouraged and fostered this project. Editor Kristine Priddy and the staff of Southern Illinois University Press saw it through many ups and downs to final completion. The University of Alaska Southeast provided professional development funds to help with travel and research.

Coauthor Dr. Ann Gunkel deserves great thanks for countless contributions to the project. Her good humor and patience with the many starts and stops of the publishing process was of inestimable value.

Any errors and omissions in the present work are entirely my own.

John Radzilowski, PhD
Ketchikan, Alaska