Casimir Pulaski Day
Encyclopedia
Casimir Pulaski Day is a holiday observed in Illinois
on the first Monday of every March in memory of Casimir Pulaski (March 6, 1745 – October 11, 1779), a Revolutionary War cavalry officer born in Poland as Kazimierz Pułaski. He is known for his contributions to the U.S. military in the American Revolution
by training its soldiers and cavalry.
The day is celebrated mainly in areas that have large Polish
populations, such as Chicago. The focus of official commemorations of Casimir Pulaski Day in Chicago is at the Polish Museum of America
where various city and state officials congregate to pay tribute to Chicago's Polish Community.
This is a separate holiday from the federal holiday
, General Pulaski Memorial Day
, which commemorates Pulaski's death from wounds suffered at the Siege of Savannah
on October 9, 1779.
Illinois enacted a law on September 13, 1977, to celebrate the birthday of Casimir Pulaski and held the first official Pulaski Day celebrations in 1978. The bill was introduced by State Senator Norbert A. Kosinski, a Democrat from Chicago, and signed by Thomas C. Hynes, President of the Senate on June 26, 1977. Chicago Public Schools
, Cook County
government offices, the Chicago Public Library
, Springfield Public Schools, and state-wide public and private schools close on this holiday.
public schools:
Section 118.02, Wisconsin Statutes, identifies certain days for "special observance" in its public schools. Among these is "Casimir Pulaski Day", to be commemorated annually on March 4 (s. 118.02(5), Wis Stats).
Section 118.02, Wis Stats, provides for these "Special Observance Days" that, "...when school is held or, if the day falls on a Saturday or Sunday, on a school day immediately preceding or following the respective day, the day shall be appropriately observed...." The use of "shall" denotes this as a mandatory requirement. Each public school in Wisconsin must observe Casimir Pulaski Day on March 4. How the day is observed -- "appropriately" -- allows for some discretion among the schools.
In 2010, Wisconsin Public Schools are to observe in some appropriate fashion Casimir Pulaski Day on Thursday, March 4. In 2011, this would be observed on Friday, March 4. In 2012, as March 4 falls on a Sunday, Casimir Pulaski Day would be observed on Monday, March 5, coinciding with the holiday in Illinois.
Buffalo, New York
also acknowledges a "Pulaski Day," apparently unrelated to either the Chicago-Wisconsin regional holiday or the October memorial day. The Buffalo Pulaski Day is held, without explanation, in the middle of July, and is celebrated with an annual parade.
On November 6, 2009, President Barack Obama signed a joint resolution of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives making Pulaski an American citizen, 230 years after his death.
Grand Rapids, Michigan
hosts a "Pulaski Days" celebration annually on the first full weekend of October in recognition of General Pulaski and the Polish culture in general.
-born songwriter Sufjan Stevens
titled a song "Casimir Pulaski Day" on his album Illinois
. The song interweaves a fictional account of star-crossed lovers with the locally recognized holiday Casimir Pulaski Day
as indicated by the lyric, "... in the morning, in the winter shade, on the first of March, on the holiday..."
Big Black
, a Chicago-based post-hardcore
band active between 1982 and 1987, have a song titled "Kasimir S. Pulaski Day".
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
on the first Monday of every March in memory of Casimir Pulaski (March 6, 1745 – October 11, 1779), a Revolutionary War cavalry officer born in Poland as Kazimierz Pułaski. He is known for his contributions to the U.S. military in the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
by training its soldiers and cavalry.
The day is celebrated mainly in areas that have large Polish
Poles
thumb|right|180px|The state flag of [[Poland]] as used by Polish government and diplomatic authoritiesThe Polish people, or Poles , are a nation indigenous to Poland. They are united by the Polish language, which belongs to the historical Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages of Central Europe...
populations, such as Chicago. The focus of official commemorations of Casimir Pulaski Day in Chicago is at the Polish Museum of America
Polish Museum of America
The Polish Museum of America is located in West Town, in what had been the historical Polish Downtown neighborhood of Chicago. It is home to a plethora of Polish artifacts, artwork, and embroidered folk costumes among its growing collection...
where various city and state officials congregate to pay tribute to Chicago's Polish Community.
This is a separate holiday from the federal holiday
Federal holiday
In the United States, a federal holiday is a public holiday recognized by the United States federal government. Non-essential federal government offices are closed...
, General Pulaski Memorial Day
General Pulaski Memorial Day
General Pulaski Memorial Day is a United States holiday in honor of General Kazimierz Pułaski , a Polish hero of the American Revolution. This holiday is held every year on October 11 by Presidential Proclamation, to commemorate his death from wounds suffered at the Siege of Savannah on October 9,...
, which commemorates Pulaski's death from wounds suffered at the Siege of Savannah
Siege of Savannah
The Siege of Savannah or the Second Battle of Savannah was an encounter of the American Revolutionary War in 1779. The year before, the city of Savannah, Georgia, had been captured by a British expeditionary corps under Lieutenant-Colonel Archibald Campbell. The siege itself consisted of a joint...
on October 9, 1779.
Illinois enacted a law on September 13, 1977, to celebrate the birthday of Casimir Pulaski and held the first official Pulaski Day celebrations in 1978. The bill was introduced by State Senator Norbert A. Kosinski, a Democrat from Chicago, and signed by Thomas C. Hynes, President of the Senate on June 26, 1977. Chicago Public Schools
Chicago Public Schools
Chicago Public Schools, commonly abbreviated as CPS by local residents and politicians and officially classified as City of Chicago School District #299 for funding and districting reasons, is a large school district that manages over 600 public elementary and high schools in Chicago, Illinois...
, Cook County
Cook County, Illinois
Cook County is a county in the U.S. state of Illinois, with its county seat in Chicago. It is the second most populous county in the United States after Los Angeles County. The county has 5,194,675 residents, which is 40.5 percent of all Illinois residents. Cook County's population is larger than...
government offices, the Chicago Public Library
Chicago Public Library
The Chicago Public Library is the public library system that serves the City of Chicago in Illinois. It consists of 79 branches, including a central library, two regional libraries, and branches distributed throughout the city....
, Springfield Public Schools, and state-wide public and private schools close on this holiday.
Outside of Illinois
The holiday is also observed in WisconsinWisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
public schools:
Section 118.02, Wisconsin Statutes, identifies certain days for "special observance" in its public schools. Among these is "Casimir Pulaski Day", to be commemorated annually on March 4 (s. 118.02(5), Wis Stats).
Section 118.02, Wis Stats, provides for these "Special Observance Days" that, "...when school is held or, if the day falls on a Saturday or Sunday, on a school day immediately preceding or following the respective day, the day shall be appropriately observed...." The use of "shall" denotes this as a mandatory requirement. Each public school in Wisconsin must observe Casimir Pulaski Day on March 4. How the day is observed -- "appropriately" -- allows for some discretion among the schools.
In 2010, Wisconsin Public Schools are to observe in some appropriate fashion Casimir Pulaski Day on Thursday, March 4. In 2011, this would be observed on Friday, March 4. In 2012, as March 4 falls on a Sunday, Casimir Pulaski Day would be observed on Monday, March 5, coinciding with the holiday in Illinois.
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
also acknowledges a "Pulaski Day," apparently unrelated to either the Chicago-Wisconsin regional holiday or the October memorial day. The Buffalo Pulaski Day is held, without explanation, in the middle of July, and is celebrated with an annual parade.
On November 6, 2009, President Barack Obama signed a joint resolution of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives making Pulaski an American citizen, 230 years after his death.
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Grand Rapids is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. The city is located on the Grand River about 40 miles east of Lake Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 188,040. In 2010, the Grand Rapids metropolitan area had a population of 774,160 and a combined statistical area, Grand...
hosts a "Pulaski Days" celebration annually on the first full weekend of October in recognition of General Pulaski and the Polish culture in general.
In popular culture
MichiganMichigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
-born songwriter Sufjan Stevens
Sufjan Stevens
Sufjan Stevens is an American singer-songwriter and musician born in Detroit, Michigan. Stevens first began releasing his music on Asthmatic Kitty, a label co-founded with his stepfather, beginning with the 1999 release, A Sun Came...
titled a song "Casimir Pulaski Day" on his album Illinois
Illinois (album)
Illinois is a 2005 concept album by American indie folk songwriter Sufjan Stevens. His fifth studio album, Illinois features songs referencing places, events, and persons related to the U.S. state of Illinois...
. The song interweaves a fictional account of star-crossed lovers with the locally recognized holiday Casimir Pulaski Day
Casimir Pulaski Day
Casimir Pulaski Day is a holiday observed in Illinois on the first Monday of every March in memory of Casimir Pulaski , a Revolutionary War cavalry officer born in Poland as Kazimierz Pułaski. He is known for his contributions to the U.S...
as indicated by the lyric, "... in the morning, in the winter shade, on the first of March, on the holiday..."
Big Black
Big Black
Big Black was an American punk rock band from Evanston, Illinois, active from 1981 to 1987. Founded by singer and guitarist Steve Albini, the band's initial lineup also included guitarist Santiago Durango and bassist Jeff Pezzati, both of Naked Raygun...
, a Chicago-based post-hardcore
Post-hardcore
Post-hardcore is a genre of music that developed from hardcore punk, itself an offshoot of the broader punk rock movement. Like post-punk, post-hardcore is a term for a broad constellation of groups...
band active between 1982 and 1987, have a song titled "Kasimir S. Pulaski Day".