This issue of Polish American Studies takes us on a journey from New Orleans, Louisiana, to Schenectady, New York, to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to Toronto, Canada. The articles extend the geographical reach of Polish American history and culture, as well as the chronological framework from the period of the Civil War to the contemporary times. In each case, the authors challenge existing views about the Polish American experience, posit new ways of re-examining available evidence, and offer nuanced interpretations.
In the first article, James S. Pula recovers the unknown story of Polish immigrants in the South prior to and during the Civil War with a focus on New Orleans. The author confronts the assumption that Poles near unanimously rejected slavery and supported the Union effort. Instead, he argues that the community was divided in their views of slavery and the war much like the rest of the nation at that time....
