The word, Polonia, means a Polish community. This book explores the impact of the Polonia in Wheeling upon Roman Catholicism there as well as the labor union movement. It also demonstrates that the Polonia did not enjoy equal protections under the laws, in particular the prohibition laws. “Wheeling’s Polonia is an important work. Gorby skillfully makes the case for why this story is significant, not just for labor and working-class history but also (by implication) for today’s electoral map. He shows a sensitivity to these workers and to the various facets of their identity as they evolved over time that many scholars and pundits often lack.”—Donna T. Haverty-Stacke. The author, William Hal Gorby, teaches history and directs undergraduate advising at West Virginia University.
Morgantown: West Virginia University Press, 2020. 331 pages with an Index, Bibliography, Notes, tables, maps, and photos. Trade paperback.