In 1619. when the Virginia Co. granted limited selfrule and an elected assembly to colonies of English descent. the disfranchised Poles were indignant and refused to work until their collective protest won redress. In July of that year they were successful. and were "enfranchised and made as free as any inhibitant." Not only was this the first workstoppage or strike in America. and the first blow for civil liberty. but it foreshadowed the later struggle of all the colonists for representative government. It is a noble beginning in what became the inspiring saga of Polish immigration in America. The joys. the arts. the history. and the unique identity of Polonia have greatly enriched all our people. Above all. the traditional Polish respect for the family and the home. allied with a deeply felt religious faith. have provided something of inestimable value in our National life.
Identified stereotypes
Traditional Polish respect for family and home, allied with a deeply felt religious faith.