Our newest digital exhibit, Legion of Young Polish Women, is now open! Created in commemoration of the organization’s 75th anniversary, this exhibit focuses on the philanthropic and social history of the Legion of Young Polish Women, a Chicago women’s organization founded in 1939. This multimedia exhibit includes photos, videos, and audio detailing the history of the organization, as well as some interviews with former members and other individuals.
The exhibit traces the Legion of Young Polish Women’s history through three thematic sections that explore the Legion’s founding and early years (1939-1950), the organization’s activities and causes, and its iconic events. Using audio and video interviews, the fourth and final secion explores how the Legion has continued to remain a vital part of Chicago’s Polish-American community and what it means to its members.
The exhibit was created by Public Historian Laura Pearce with support and additional assistance from Kahlee Leingang, a graduate student in Public History and Library Science at North Carolina State University. Funding for the Legion of Young Polish Women exhibit was provided by the Legion of Young Polish Women and the University Libraries, Loyola University Chicago.
