The Krivan Slovak Singing Society, (f. 1906), was organized by the National Slovak Society and grew into Cleveland, Ohio's premier Slovak singing club. The Krivan, similar to other Slovak societies forming in Cleveland at the same time, reflected the intense national consciousness of Cleveland Slovaks through its social and cultural activities. The Krivan distinguished itself under the professionally-trained director Dr. M. Francisci and his successors, and its programs were often supplemented by dramatic numbers and original pieces. Members of the Krivan dissolved the organization in the years between 1941 and 1955.
The Krivan Slovak Singing Society Records, 1906-1941, consist of minute books, membership rosters and addresses, dues payments, purchase orders, expense records, and a history of the club from 1906 to 1932. Most of the material is written in Slovak.
These records will be of special interest to those scholars studying the social and cultural development of Slovak communities in Cleveland and other urban areas of America in the first half of the twentieth century. Those studying the "Sokol" and other national movements in southeastern Europe and in American will also find this collection helpful in their research. These records may also be of value to scholars studying the development of written language outside of its native environment and over a span of several decades.
The collection is arranged chronologically by document type.
Processed by Rebecca M. Johnson in 1991.
None.
[Container ___, Folder ___ ] MS 4554 Krivan Slovak Singing Society Records, Western Reserve Historical Society, Cleveland, Ohio
Thomas P. Slavin, 1989.
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.