"PAHA: A 75th Anniversary History" by James S. Pula

PAHA: A 75th Anniversary History of the Polish American Historical Association

Edited by James S. Pula (PAHA, 2017). 212 Pages. Available on Amazon.com

In 2018, PAHA is celebrating its 75th Anniversary.  Established in 1943 as a Commission for Research on Polish Immigration within the newly formed Polish Institute of Arts and Sciences in America, the organization assumed its current name and incorporated as an autonomous nonprofit scholarly association in 1948.  PAHA's Mission is described as follows:

• To promote the study of Polish American history and culture as part of the greater Polish diaspora.

• To encourage and disseminate scholarly research and publication on the Polish American experience in the fields of history, the social sciences, the humanities and the arts, and advance scholarly collaboration across disciplines

• To support collection and preservation of historical sources regarding the Polish past in America

In order to fulfill this mission, PAHA publishes a scholarly journal, Polish American Studies, and a semiannual newsletter, sponsors books on Polish American experience, organizes annual conferences, and researches the activities of the American Polonia and the Polish diaspora on other continents.

ABOUT THIS BOOK

The PAHA 75th Anniversary History was edited by James S. Pula to commemorate the history, changing goals and lasting achievements of the organization. The volume contains reprints of earlier histories of PAHA published in the Polish American Studies by Konstantin Symmons-Symonolewicz, Anthony F. Turhollow, John J. Bukowczyk, Anna D. Jaroszynska-Kirchmann. These histories are   complemented with the update bringing the account to the present era by James S. Pula.  A valuable section of the Anniversary History consists of appendices listing PAHA founding members, presidents, and award winners. 

PAHA 75th Anniversary History and Books by PAHA Members

CONTENTS

Preface, by Anna Mazurkiewicz, PAHA President (2017-18) - p. vii
Introduction, by James S. Pula - p. xi
A Special “Thank You” to the Skalny Family - p. xv

CHAPTERS

1. Polish American Studies, 1942-1970: An Overview, by Konstantin Symmons-Symonolewicz - p.1

2. The Polish American Historical Association: An Act of Faith, by Anthony F. Turhollow - p.17

3. “Harness for Posterity the Values of a Nation”: Fifty Years of the Polish American Historical Association and Polish American Studies, by John J. Bukowczyk - p. 25

4. The Polish American Historical Association: Looking Back, Looking Forward, by Anna D. Jaroszyńska-Kirchmann - p. 129

5. Celebrating the Past, Preparing for the Future, by James S. Pula - p. 155

APPENDICES

6. Appendix A: List of Members of the Commission for Research on Polish Immigration - p. 181
7. Appendix B: The Polish-American Historical Commission - p.182
8. Appendix C: Presidents of the Polish American Historical Association  -p.  183
9. Appendix D: Editors of Polish American Studies - p. 184
10. Appendix E: The Mieczysław Haiman Award - p.184
11. Appendix F: The Oskar Halecki Prize  - p. 185
12. Appendix G: The Joseph Swastek Prize - p. 189
13. Appendix H: The Distinguished Service Award - p. 191
14. Appendix I: The Skalny Civic Achievement Award - p. 192
15. Appendix J: The Creative Arts Prize - p. 194
16. Appendix K; The Amicus Poloniae Award  - p. 194
17. Appendix L: The Graduate Student Award - p. 195
18. Appendix M: The Kulczycki Prize - p. 195
19. Officers and Council for 2017-2018 - p. 196

THE EDITOR

James S. Pula is Professor of History at Purdue University North Central. The author and editor of more than a dozen books on the Polish diaspora and the American Civil War, he served as editor-in-chief of The Polish American Encyclopedia and was the editor of the academic journal Polish American Studies for some 33 years. He has for many years been a member of the Boards of Directors of the Polish American Historical Association and the Polish Institute of Arts & Sciences of America. His work has been honored with the Mieczysław Haiman Award for sustained scholarly contributions (1988), the Distinguished Service Award from the American Council for Polish Culture, and three Oskar Halecki Prizes for: The Polish American Encyclopedia (Editor, 2011), Polish Americans: An Ethnic Community (1995), and United We Stand: The Role of Polish Workers in the New Mills Textile Strikes , 1912 and 1916, co-authored with Eugene E. Dziedzic (1991). He is the recipient of the Rudewicz Medal, and the Officer’s Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland (2014).