One of the hallmarks of Chicago (just like any other big city) is its rampant multiculturalism. Different ethnicities emigrating to the big cities and then carving out their own sectors is a trend that has been alive and well since the early days of Ellis Island. However, there is one group in Chicago that has taken hold like no other. According to the Census, Poles make up one of the largest European-American groups in the city, accounting for 6.7 Percent of Chicago's population. And it isn't just the city of Chicago itself either, since according to some estimations, there are as many as 1.5 Million Poles living in the Chicago Metropolitan Area.
Over the entire history of Chicago, Poles have contributed to the development and growth of the city. In fact, it is recorded that two Poles who had beat back a Russian uprising in their home country were among the people to vote for the first Mayor of Chicago. Over the ensuing years, Chicago has been settled by Poles in 5 distinct neighborhoods. Even today, there are many celebrations of Polish culture, including the Taste of Polonia festival held every Labor Day weekend, the Polish American Film Festival, and much more. The relevant part to this blog is that there are numerous tributes to Poles and Polish culture throughout the city, so we're bound to touch on them again over the course of this blog(in one case, we already have.) So just file this one away in your minds to recall when I ask you to later on.
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