Before coming to America, most immigrants didn’t think of themselves has being “ethnic.” They spoke the same language as everyone else, ate the same foods, went to the same houses of worship, and celebrated the same holidays. They honored the same traditions as their parents and grandparents. They may even have dressed the same and worked the same jobs as generations before. Most everyone shared the same culture — they were in the majority. (We say “most” because there were minority religious and ethnic groups who came to America to escape discrimination by the “majority.”) They “belonged.”
Things changed when the newcomers arrived in America! Suddenly, they were different. People spoke a different languages — and not just English, but the languages of other immigrants, too! Immigrants wondered: Even if others shared your religion, how could you worship together unless you could understand each other? How would your children learn? Who celebrated your holidays and ate the foods you liked? What did people do for fun here in America? How would you make friends? Who could help watch the kids when there were no grandmothers or aunts nearby? How did you find a job without your friends and family’s help? Where did you belong?
After seeing how different they were, immigrants longed to belong again. They turned to others who shared their language and culture. Those who had been here a little longer helped the “greenhorns.” Together they built churches, schools, clubs, and organizations to make a community. Businesses sold traditional foods, newspapers in their languages reported news from the “Old Country.” They identified more with their ethnic group in America than they did back home! (Even today, St. Patrick’s Day is more popular in America than it is in Ireland!)
These photographs show some of the many ways immigrants banded together with others in their ethnic groups. How did each of these traditions, events, organizations, or places help new immigrants feel like they belonged?
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This photo was taken in 1937 and shows two generations of members of the KMP.
German-Austrian beneficial band society members.
1915 – Calvin’s Baseball team
This American football team was from Catholic High School in 1924.
These boys are playing the All-American game of baseball in a vacant lot in Cambria City in the 1930s.
In 1952 the Minersville team won the Polish National Alliance baseball championship.
This is the front of the Am-Slo (American-Slovak) Social Club.
These women worked at the Polish Army Veterans’ Home.
St. John Gaulbert’s Roman Catholic Cathedral is located in downtown Johnstown. This photo was taken around 1968.
A PNA team from the 1930s.
The Polish National Alliance (PNA) even had a baseball league where teams from different Polish neighborhoods competed.
This was the logo of the Polish National Alliance. This organization was very active in Johnstown.
These children are on a picnic sponsored by the PNA in 1929.
The Polish National Alliance provided many opportunities to its members. This is a play with the members as actors.
Rodef Shalom was one of three Jewish synagogues in Johnstown.
In 1940, the Croatian Education Society Rodoljub celebrated 30 years.
Charter for Johnstown Slovenian fraternal benefit society from 1908. The pictures in the wreaths illustrate fraternity and protection.
Slovak Sokol basketball champs, 1929.
The front altar of St. Mary’s Byzantine Catholic Church, located in Cambria City and just a few blocks from St. Columba’s. This church was founded by Carpatho-Rusyns.
This is the front altar at St. Columba’s church located in Cambria City. St. Columba’s was Roman Catholic and was predominantly Irish.. Note the references to steel and industry in the painting.
Most of the churches in Cambria City had their own schools. These are the graduates from St. Stephen’s Slovak Catholic Church.
On the other hand, children were the first to “Americanize.” These boys are playing American football in front of a coal breaker.
St. Anne’s lodge badge courtesy of Anna Ozog.
St. Casimir’s society in front of the church. St. Casimir’s was Roman Catholic and served the Polish community.
Some ethnic groups had their own athletic clubs that carried on older sports traditions. Germans had “Turnvereins,” which issued diplomas to members.
Turnverein Hall survived the 1889 Flood. Young German men met inside to work on body-building and gymnastic exercises.
Members of the Yugoslavic Society in 1930.
Children of immigrants were able to celebrate holidays from the Old Country. These schoolchildren are celebrating Gen. Pulaski Day in 1929.
Katslo band members
