Alliance of Poles of America.

The Alliance of Poles in America (Cleveland, Ohio), a regional cultural and fraternal insurance organization, was founded in 1895 as the Alliance of Poles in State of Ohio. Its name was changed ca. 1917. The Alliance has 17,000 members and 83 branches in Ohio, Michigan, and Pennsylvania. It provides life insurance to members, cooperates with other Polish American organizatoins in cultural activities, sponsors clubs for Polish youth, maintains a library, and provides a scholarship fund.

Fraternal insurance organization which broke away from the Polish National Alliance in 1895, over the issue of membership for non-Roman Catholic Poles. Originally a Cleveland organization, it now includes groups throughout Ohio, Michigan and Pennsylvania, and has opened its membership to men and women with other than Polish or Catholic backgrounds. In 1917 it changed its name from the Alliance of Poles in Ohio to the Alliance of Poles of America.

The Alliance of Poles of America is an ethnic fraternal-insurance organization established in Cleveland, Ohio, in September 1895. Originally named the Alliance of Poles in Ohio, this organization was founded by members of Group 143 of the Polish National Alliance who were dissatisfied with that body's decision to admit non-Roman Catholic Poles to membership.

The Alliance initially received most of its membership from the Cleveland area and from Ohio cities with substantial Polish communities. In 1917, however, the organization changed its name to the Alliance of Poles of America in order to more accurately reflect its growing membership outside of the state of Ohio.

By the 1920s and 1930s, the Alliance had evolved into a substantial enterprise. In 1925-1926 it constructed a large headquarters building and meeting hall on Broadway Avenue in the heart of Cleveland's Polish community in the Slavic Village neighborhood. By the late 1930s, its membership exceeded 20,000. It maintained over sixty "groups" in the Cleveland area as well as groups in the states of Michigan and Pennsylvania. During this decade, it also began the independent publication of its own house organ, Zwiazkowiez (The Alliancer) .

The Alliance has functioned as a major insurance organization although it is far less structured in terms of membership requirements than during its early history. Membership is open to men and women and to individuals with other than Polish or Roman Catholic background.

click here to view the Encyclopedia of Cleveland History entry for the Alliance of Poles of America

The Alliance of Poles of America is an ethnic fraternal-insurance organization established in Cleveland, Ohio, in September 1895. Originally named the Alliance of Poles in Ohio, this organization was founded by members of Group 143 of the Polish National Alliance who were dissatisfied with that body's decision to admit non-Roman Catholic Poles to membership.

The Alliance initially received most of its membership from the Cleveland area and from Ohio cities with substantial Polish communities. In 1917, however, the organization changed its name to the Alliance of Poles of America in order to more accurately reflect its growing membership outside of the state of Ohio.

By the 1920s and 1930s, the Alliance had evolved into a substantial enterprise. In 1925-1926 it constructed a large headquarters building and meeting hall on Broadway Avenue in the heart of Cleveland's Polish community in the Slavic Village neighborhood. By the late 1930s, its membership exceeded 20,000. It maintained over sixty "groups" in the Cleveland area as well as groups in the states of Michigan and Pennsylvania. During this decade, it also began the independent publication of its own house organ, Zwiazkowiez (The Alliancer).

The Alliance has functioned as a major insurance organization although it is far less structured in terms of membership requirements than during its early history. Membership is open to men and women and to individuals with other than Polish or Roman Catholic background.