Speech #860156886

I feel that I come eminently prepared to plead the cause of civil rights. because I happen to come from an ethnic group that struck one of the first blows for civil rights in this country. a blow that predated the Civil War. predated the American Revolution. going back to 1619. when Captain Smith arrived in America and discovered that he could not indeed form and build a successful colony without industry. without skilled artisans. and people with ideas. From his travels in Europe Captain Smith recalled in his visits to Poland that he had met many people skilled in the production of tar and pitch. and because that particular territory around Jamestown afforded more opportunities for that industry. Captain Smith had invited a group of Polish immigrants to this country more than 350 years ago. They came here and they made a contribution with their skill. with their art. but because of the peculiar system of the Jamestown Colony in those days. the Polish immigrants were permitted to conduct their work. but they were not permitted to participate in the civic activities in the colony. They were not permitted to own property. They were not permitted to participate in elections.