Polish Heritage Month

October is Polish Heritage Month, the perfect time to explore Polonia, or Polish Chicago. Geoffrey Baer takes you on a tour of some sites that evoke the community's rich and influential continuing history in Chicago. 

40 years ago, the Polish trade union Solidarity was formed. It would go on to force the first free elections in Communist Poland and win resoundingly, ending the Communist regime there. Chicago's Polish community played a strong supporting role throughout. 

October is Polish Heritage Month, the perfect time to celebrate the influential and vibrant community of Poles in Chicago, which is often touted as the city with the largest Polish population outside Poland. Here are some of our highlights in honor of Polish Heritage Month.