A RESOLUTION

 

1Designating the month of October 2013 as "Polish American
2Heritage Month" in Pennsylvania.

3WHEREAS, This year marks the 405th anniversary of Polish
4settlers arriving in the United States of America; and

5WHEREAS, People of Polish heritage will mark the 234th
6anniversary of the death of General Casimir Pulaski, father of
7the American cavalry, and the 102nd anniversary of Marie
8Sklodowska Curie's receipt of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for
9her discovery of radioactive elements polonium and radium; and

10WHEREAS, People of Polish heritage have contributed greatly
11to global advancement and advancement of the United States and
12Pennsylvania in particular in the 405 years since the first
13Polish immigrants settled here; and

14WHEREAS, People of Polish heritage have demonstrated
15exceptional skills in the fields of acting, accounting, art,
16dentistry, education, engineering, entertainment, general labor,

1government, law, literature, management, mathematics, medicine,
2the military, music, philosophy, poetry, sports and many other
3endeavors; and

4WHEREAS, Polish people are recognized for their strong work
5ethic and outstanding achievements; and

6WHEREAS, Polish notables include Ignacy Jan Paderewski, one
7of the most famous and popular pianists of all time and an
8advocate for Polish freedom, who was born 153 years ago in
9Warsaw and who died in 1941 in New York City; and

10WHEREAS, Other Polish notables include Revolutionary War
11heroes Casimir Pulaski and Thaddeus Kosciuszko; Leopold
12Stokowski, a renowned international conductor; Zbigniew
13Brzezinski, National Security Advisor to President Carter; and
14Edmund Muskie, a United States Senator from Maine; and

15WHEREAS, Pennsylvanians of Polish heritage have made many
16contributions to our nation; and

17WHEREAS, These Pennsylvanians include Cardinal John Krol of
18Philadelphia, baseball great Stan Musial of Donora and singer
19Bobby Vinton of Canonsburg; and

20WHEREAS, The Polish people have many reasons to be proud of
21and to celebrate their heritage, culture and the achievements of
22their people; and

23WHEREAS, All Pennsylvanians are grateful for the many
24contributions of Poland and its citizens to our Commonwealth;
25therefore be it

26RESOLVED, That the Senate designate the month of October 2013
27as "Polish American Heritage Month" in Pennsylvania.