Assembly Resolution No. 319

BY: M. of A. Wallace

            commemorating  the Polish-American community's
        celebration of Polonia Day, May 2, 2021

  WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body, in  keeping  with
its  time-honored  traditions,  to  recognize  and  pay tribute to those
organizations which foster ethnic  pride  and  enhance  the  profile  of
cultural  diversity  which  strengthens the fabric of the communities of
New York State; and

  WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and  in  full  accord  with  its
long-standing  traditions,  this  Legislative  Body  is  justly proud to
commemorate the Polish-American community's celebration of Polonia  Day,
on Sunday, May 2, 2021; and

  WHEREAS,  Polonia Day, also referred to as Polish National Flag Day,
is a Polish national holiday which is celebrated by  Polish  communities
throughout  the  world; in addition to honoring the Polish flag, Polonia
Day serves to observe the Polish diaspora and celebrate all Poles living
abroad; and

  WHEREAS, Adopted on August 1, 1919, the Polish flag is a simple  two
striped  white  and red banner, which represents the rich history of the
country and evokes hope and promises for the future; and

  WHEREAS, On February 20, 2004, the Senate of the Republic of  Poland
established National Flag Day of the Republic of Poland; the date of May
2nd  was  chosen  since  it  was  the  day  when  Poles  had a moment of
reflection on Polish history, to  fill  in  the  free  day  between  two
national  holidays,  and  to underline celebration of the Day of Polonia
and Poles Abroad; and

  WHEREAS, In recognition of Polonia Day, various types  of  patriotic
actions  and demonstrations are held in Poland and throughout the world;
and

  WHEREAS, Western New York is home  to  one  of  the  largest  Polish
communities  in  the  Nation and by commemorating this holiday, New York
State can honor the rich heritage and culture of the state's population;
and

  WHEREAS, The Polish influence in Western New York can be traced back
to Pieter Stadnitski, one of the partners of  the  Holland  Land  Office
Company; and

  WHEREAS,  During the 1850s-1860s, Poles of Jewish heritage, followed
by Catholic Poles, began to arrive in Buffalo, New York,  many  of  whom
were  escaping political oppression and poverty in Germany, Austria, and
Russia, as there was no formal nation of Poland at this time; and

  WHEREAS, The 1870 Census indicated 150 natives of  Poland  lived  in
Buffalo,  and  three  years later, St. Stanislaus Roman Catholic Church,
Buffalo's first Polish church,  was  founded;  between  1873  and  1922,

Polish  Americans  established 34 church parishes in Greater Buffalo and
Western New York as a whole; and

  WHEREAS,  By 1886, 1,100 houses had been built for Polish immigrants
on a large tract of land in what is now the Broadway-Fillmore  district,
and  soon  after, an open air market was established, quickly becoming a
community meeting place; and

  WHEREAS,  At  the  turn  of  the   century,   approximately   20,000
Polish-Americans   lived   in   Buffalo,   with   business  and  culture
flourishing; and

  WHEREAS, In 1910, 80,000 Poles formed roughly one sixth of Buffalo's
population, and there were 800 Polish-owned businesses in what was  then
called  East  Buffalo;  in  1923, there were 181,300 Polish-Americans in
Buffalo, most of whom still spoke Polish; and

  WHEREAS, Polish-Americans became the largest ethnic  group  in  Erie
County  by  1971,  comprising  75  percent  of  Cheektowaga,  New York's
population; by 2014, most Polish-Americans  had  moved  to  the  Eastern
suburbs of Cheektowaga, Marilla, and others; and

  WHEREAS, Today, Poles continue to take great pride in their nation's
flag, which represents their many triumphs; and

  WHEREAS,  It  is  the  intent  of  this Legislative Body to urge the
citizens of New York State to join those of Polish backgrounds  as  they
rejoice  in  the accomplishments of their ancestors by memorializing May
2, 2021, as Polonia Day or Polish National Flag Day; now, therefore,  be
it

  RESOLVED,  That  this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commemorate the Polish-American community's celebration of Polonia  Day,
May 2, 2021; and be it further

  RESOLVED,  That  a  copy  of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to The Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo, Governor of the  State  of
New York.