The Polish Singers Alliance of America, Circle III, (Zwiazek Spiewakow Polskich w Ameryce), founded ca. 1939, was the Cleveland, Ohio, chapter of the national fraternal order whose goal was to promote Polish music and heritage by establishing choruses and sponsoring musical contests. Circle III worked under the direction of the national alliance in coordinating local singing groups.
Several separate singing societies were a part of Circle III of the Polish Singers Alliance of America. These included Halina Singing Society No. 50 (Choru Halina Nr. 50); Harmonia-Chopin Singing Society (Towarzystwa Spiewu Harmonia-Chopin); Fryderyk Chopin Choir; Jutrzenka Singing Society (Towarzystwa Spiewu Choru Jutrzenka); Moniuszko Singing Society (Towarzystwa Spiewu Moniuszko); and Polish National Singing Society No. 69 (Chor Polsko Narodowy). The goal of these groups was to perform at important events for the Cleveland Polish community, but also to introduce Polish culture to non-Polish Clevelanders.
Each of these organizations was formed at the high point of Polish immigration to Cleveland: Harmonia-Chopin Singing Society (Towarzystwa Spiewu Harmonia-Chopin) in 1902 (merged with the Fryderyk Chopin Choir in 1912); Halina Singing Society 1907; Moniuszko Singing Society (Towarzystwa Spiewu Moniuszko) in 1908; The Polish National Singing Society No. 69 (Chor Polsko Narodowy) in 1911. The Jutrzenka Singing Society (Towarzystwa Spiewu Choru Jutrzenka) was founded in 1914 by a group of women who wished to cultivate and express their love of Polish song, language, dance, and culture.
The Polish Singers Alliance of America, Circle III Records, Series II, 1947-2002, consist of booklets and programs of concerts and anniversary events.
Those interested in the history of music and the performing arts in Cleveland, Ohio, will find the collection of value. Researchers in Cleveland's Polish immigrant community will find much information here about local Polish groups and fraternal organizations in the mid-to-late twentieth century. Those studying efforts to promote the culture and heritage of Polish Americans will find this collection particularly useful.
The collection is arranged alphabetically by subject and then chronologically.
The researcher should also consult MS 4072 Polish Singers Alliance of America, Circle III Records.
Processed by John Clement and Sean Martin in 2014.
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[Container ___, Folder ___ ] MS 5307 Polish Singers Alliance of America, Circle III Records, Series II, Western Reserve Historical Society, Cleveland, Ohio
Gift of Irene C. Maciag in 2011.
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.