What is Pulaski Day? Here is what is closed and the story of this Chicago holiday

The Pulaski Day will be celebrated in Chicago and Cook County on the first Monday in March. The day honors a hero of the War of Independence and the living Polish American community in the city. Here is what she is about to celebrate about vacation, its history and how it is to be celebrated this year.

What is closed for the Pulaski day?

All government offices and dishes in Chicago and Cook County will be closed on Monday, March 3. The public library variety in Chicago are also closed all day.

Most schools, including the Chicago Public Schools, are open.

Post offices and banks are also open because it is not a federal vacation.

Who was Casimir Pulaski?

Casimir Pulaski was a Polish military leader who fought against Russian control in Poland before joining the American Revolution. After Pulaski Benjamin Franklin met in Paris, he traveled to America in 1777 and, according to the Chicago Public Library, quickly became a key figure in the American War of Independence.

Pulaski organized and led the country’s first cavalry and, according to the National Park Service, deserved the title “Father of the American cavalry”. Pulaski died of injuries in 1779 during the Battle of Savannah.

His name is now a familiar sight in Chicago – see on the Pulaski Road, the Pulaski Park and other sights.

What is Pulaski Day?

Pulaski Day, who was observed on the first Monday in March, honors Pulaski’s role in the American Revolution and celebrates the contributions of the Polish American community in Chicago. The holiday takes place at Pulaski’s birthday on March 6th.

Illinois founded the holiday in 1977 under governor James Thompson. In 1986 the City Council of Chicago passed a resolution introduced by Mayor Harold Washington in order to officially recognize him according to the strong attorney of the local Polish organizations and community leaders.

The Polish population of Chicago – one of the largest outside of Poland – has used the Pulaski day in a long time to celebrate Pulaski’s legacy and its cultural heritage. From 2023, according to Census Bureau, around 130,000 inhabitants of Chicago and more than 720,000 people in the U -Bahn region Chicago have Polish ancestors.

Illinois is the only state with an official Pulaski day. New York City and Buffalo, New York, which have important Polish communities, Mark Pulaski’s contributions with parades in different seasons.

The Pulaski day was initially observed in school closings in Illinois, but this changed from the early 2000s.

How is Pulaski celebrated?

Chicago’s celebrations center an annual event in the Polish Museum of America. This year is of particular importance because Polish President Andrzej Duda takes part in the official ceremony – the first time that a Polish head of state took part.

“The President of Poland here is huge for us,” said Richard Owsiany, President of the Polish Museum of America. “It shows how important this day is – not only for the Polish community, but for all Illinois.”

The event will also contain speeches by officials, including the US Senator Richard Durbin, the treasurer of Cook County, Maria Pappas, and the Court of Appeals of Illinois, Aurelia Pucinski,. The program ends with a traditional wreath shear ceremony in Stanislaw Batowski’s painting “Pulaski at Savannah”, which has been exhibited in the museum since the 1940s. While the ceremony is closed to the public for security reasons, it will be livestream at 10 a.m.

“Pulaski has been remembered in the USA for generations,” said Owsiany. “The museum has been organizing this event for almost 30 years to honor what it has done for the country and to keep his legacy alive.”

What does Pulaski Day mean for the Polish community in Chicago?

For many in the Polish community in Chicago, the Pulaski Day is more than remembering a historical figure – it is an opportunity to celebrate and come together.

“Pulaski came to the USA to fight for your and our freedom,” said Bogdan Pukszta, Managing Director of the American Chamber of Commerce. “For poles like me, who were born in Poland, Pulaski is someone we grew up about. This is about sharing this legacy of the wider American community. “

Pukszta moved to Chicago in the early 1980s, just before Illinois recognized the holiday.

“When the Pulaski day was set up for the first time, all schools had the day free. That has changed, but the meaning is not, ”he said. “It is an opportunity for us to celebrate, think and meet the community.”

Events such as Pulaski Day also help younger generations to stay in touch with their roots, said Pukszta.

“For those who are familiar with Poland, Pulaski is a hero. For Americans, he should be remembered as someone who fought for the freedom of this country, ”he said. “This vacation bridges both identities.”

The Polish community in Chicago gathers for other important events such as the constitutional parade on May 3 and the Polish Independence Day in November – but Pulaski Day has a unique place as a symbol for the common history between Poland and the USA

“It’s not just about Polish pride,” said Pukszta. “It’s about honoring someone who fought for both nations and recognized the contributions of the Polish Americans to Illinois.”