Polish Community in New York

New York State has a rich Polish heritage with significant communities throughout the state. The Polish American population in New York is one of the largest in the nation, concentrated in New York City (particularly Brooklyn), Buffalo, and various cities across upstate New York.

Brooklyn’s “Little Poland”

Greenpoint, Brooklyn

Greenpoint is home to the second-largest Polish population in the United States (after Chicago). This North Brooklyn neighborhood has been the heart of Polish-American life in New York City for over a century.

Historic Neighborhood Features:

• Polish delis, bakeries, and restaurants along Manhattan Avenue
• Polish bookstores and gift shops
• Polish-language services and businesses
• Catholic churches offering Polish-language masses

Major Organizations

Polish & Slavic Center (PSC)

Main Location: 177 Kent Street, Brooklyn, NY 11222 Second Location: 176 Java Street, Brooklyn, NY 11222 Website: polishslaviccenter.us Wikipedia: Polish & Slavic Center

Founded in 1972, the Polish & Slavic Center is one of the largest Polish-American organizations on the East Coast. The nonprofit provides:

Services:

• Social assistance programs
• Senior programming and centers
• Legal aid for immigrants
• Immigration services
• Cultural activities and events
• Community meetings and gatherings

Facilities:

• State-of-the-art performing stages
• Fully-functioning commercial kitchen
• Community meeting spaces
• Two buildings in Greenpoint

Senior Centers:

• Krakus Senior Center - 176 Java Street, Brooklyn
• John Paul II Friendship Center - Lower East Side, Manhattan (satellite location)

Jozef Pilsudski Institute

Archives Polish history and culture. Relocated to Greenpoint from Manhattan, strengthening the neighborhood’s role as a cultural hub.

Polish National Catholic Church

Resurrection Parish - Leonard Street, Greenpoint Offers Polish-language services and community programs.

Polish National Home

Location: Driggs Avenue, Greenpoint

• Home to the Warsaw box office
• Bar and lounge
• Cultural events and gatherings

Pulaski Association

Promotes Polish culture and heritage in the New York area.

Buffalo and Western New York

Buffalo has a substantial Polish-American population, particularly on the city’s East Side.

Organizations in Buffalo

• Polish Community Center - Cultural and social hub
• St. Stanislaus Church - Historic Polish parish
• Corpus Christi Church - Active Polish community
• Dom Polski - Polish cultural center
• Polish Arts Club of Buffalo

Dyngus Day

Buffalo is famous for its Dyngus Day celebrations (Easter Monday), which have become a major city-wide festival.

Other Polish Communities in New York

New York City Boroughs

Manhattan:

• Lower East Side - Historic Polish presence
• Upper East Side - Polish consulate and organizations

Queens:

• Maspeth - Polish community
• Ridgewood - Polish businesses and residents

Bronx:

• Historical Polish communities in the South Bronx

Upstate New York

Syracuse Area:

• Polish organizations and churches
• Annual Polish Festival

Rochester:

• Polish parish churches
• Cultural organizations

Utica:

• Historic Polish settlement
• Polish community organizations

Amsterdam:

• Polish heritage from industrial era

Binghamton:

• Polish-American community

Religious Communities

Catholic Churches with Polish Services

Many churches throughout New York offer Polish-language masses:

Brooklyn/Queens:

• Transfiguration Church, Williamsburg
• Our Lady of Czestochowa, North Point
• St. Stanislaus Kostka, Maspeth

Buffalo:

• St. Stanislaus Church
• Corpus Christi Church
• St. Adalbert’s Basilica

Educational Resources

Polish Language Schools

• Polish Saturday Schools in Brooklyn, Queens, and throughout NYC
• St. Stanislaus School - Greenpoint (K-8 with Polish language instruction)
• Polish language programs at various universities

Universities with Polish Programs

• Columbia University - Polish language and culture
• NYU - Polish studies
• University at Buffalo - Polish heritage courses

Cultural Events

Annual Celebrations

• Pulaski Day Parade - Fifth Avenue, Manhattan (October)
• Polish Constitution Day - May 3 celebrations
• Dyngus Day - Buffalo (Easter Monday)
• Polish festivals throughout the summer

Performance and Arts

• Polish film festivals
• Polish theater productions
• Concerts featuring Polish artists
• Folk dance performances

Polish Media in New York

Newspapers and Publications

• Nowy Dziennik (New Daily) - Polish-language newspaper
• Polish community newsletters

Radio and TV

• Polish-language radio programs
• Polish TV channels via cable/satellite

Business and Professional Organizations

• Polish-American Business Association of New York
• Polish Professionals Network
• Polish Chamber of Commerce

Consular Services

Consulate General of the Republic of Poland in New York Location: 233 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016 Provides passport, visa, and other consular services.

Resources

• Wikipedia: Greenpoint, Brooklyn
• Wikipedia: Polish & Slavic Center
• Wikipedia: Polish Americans
• Wikipedia: Poles in Chicago (for comparison)

Connect with Polish Communities in Other States

Nearby States:

• New Jersey - Passaic, Hudson County, and northern NJ
• Pennsylvania - Philadelphia and Pittsburgh regions
• Connecticut - New Britain and Hartford area
• Massachusetts - Boston and Western Mass

Other Major Polish Communities:

• Illinois - Chicago’s huge Polish population
• Michigan - Detroit and Hamtramck
• Wisconsin - Milwaukee area
• Ohio - Cleveland and Toledo

Back to all states

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