American Council for Polish Culture

American Council for Polish Culture
Location: Wiliamsburg, Virginia
Dates: October 25-26, 2019
Event: Polish Perspectives at the 53rd Annual Conference for Social Studies Educators

Report
The American Council for Polish Culture has been exhibiting at the National Council for the Social Studies conference for the past 18 years. Topics have varied through the years. In 2019, all our promotional efforts have been focused upon the 400th anniversary of the First Representative government that was established in the Jamestown Colony in Virginia. For the Polish Craftsmen it was the first civil unrest with gaining the right to vote and was the first to start an apprenticeship program in the Colony.
The exhibit and promotional efforts were to work cooperatively with the Commonwealth of Virginia to stress the fact at that the Polish craftsmen arrived in 1608, established a business of making tar, pitch, potash and established a glass house. They realized that as the House of Burgesses were trying to establish a representative government, the Polish Craftsmen were excluded from the right to vote. They staged a civil unrest and created a work stoppage. The English men realized that if all worked stopped, the colony would not be able to survive economically. On July 21, 1619, they gained the right to vote in the Colony. They also were the first to establish an apprenticeship program so that their talents would be passed on to generations.
Cecilia and Raymond Glembocki who chaired the exhibit for the past 8 years, were successful in having the Governor of Virginia, Mr. Ralph Northam issue a proclamation pertaining to the fact that Polish craftsmen gained the right to vote. The Department of Tourism placed 10,000 leaflets that Raymond Glembocki developed that told the whole story of the Jamestown craftsmen's efforts. The welcome centers now have a leaflet about the historical facts in their six closest kiosks to the Jamestown settlement.
The Encyclopedia Virginia, a project of the Virginia Humanities organization created an article with a virtual tour that highlights the important contributions made by the Polish members of the Jamestown Colony. Last year. The Virginia Humanities web site had more than 1.5 million people visited. The article was thoroughly researched, fact checked and edited to conform to the high standards of the Encyclopedia. This article also includes images, primary document and audio excerpts from the Virginia Humanities "with Good Reason" radio segment which aired an episode in 2007 about the contributions of the Poles in the Jamestown colony. The article will produce a Google Street View tour of the Jamestown Glasshouse. This virtual tour imagery will allow anyone with an internet connection to virtually visit this important site. This virtual tour will also be able to be viewed using virtual reality headsets for an immersive and engaging experience.
The Polish Perspectives exhibit project received a grant from the American Council for Polish Culture to feature the Polish craftsmen's accomplishments in the Commonwealth. Cecilia and Raymond Glembocki successfully exhibited at the 53rd. Annual Virginia Conference for Social studies Educators on October 25 -26, 2019 in Williamsburg Virginia. More than 390 educators attended the conference. Thousands of bookmarks were distributed to teachers for their students. A DVD was developed that contained all posters, leaflets, radio segments and articles from the Virginia Humanities project. The Glembockis presented a session for 35 teachers featuring our trifold that was distributed to 6 kiosks near the Jamestown settlement. It was called The Rest of the story/new facts of the Jamestown settlement. The Program book featured a full-page ad that contained a copy of the Governors Northam's Proclamation - 400th Anniversary of the Enfranchisement of Polish Craftsmen in Jamestowne.
The Polish Perspectives exhibit featured the first work stoppage that resulted in the first right to vote. The exhibit also featured the fact that the Poles were the first to establish an apprentice program. ACPC sponsored the canvas bags with the original marker stating that the poles have arrived in 1608. There will also be a full-page ad featuring the proclamation.
The Center for Education for the Rule of Law will also feature our Polish Craftsmen holding a work stoppage for the right to vote. This organization addresses young attorneys as how our system of government was first established.
While in Warsaw for the ACPC convention, we presented our educational materials to the Main Specialist , Mr. Jan Tyszowiecki , Department of International Relations at the Ministry of Culture and Heritage. He was so pleased that he requested copies of all the educational materials that we developed for the Jamestown Project. It was a very productive and information meeting.
The next APCP for the National Council for the Social Studies will take place in Austin, Texas on November 22, 2019. There will be 4,000 educators there to celebrate our 400th Anniversary of the First Representative government, the first Polish craftsmen to gain the right to vote and start an apprentice program in the new colony.

Photographs by Cecilia and Ray Glembocki