Casimir Pulaski had many successes which made him significant to Illinois and mainly the Chicagoland area’s history. Although he has a day dedicated to him, many people are unsure of who he truly is and simply view the first Monday of March as a day without school.
“I think one of the reasons though that this particular area is still kind of dedicated to acknowledging the day is because we do have a significant Polish population, both in our immediate area and then just in sort of the general Chicagoland area,” AP U.S. history teacher Anne Eichman said.
Many people may be unsure of the significance Pulaski had on the Chicagoland area or do not acknowledge the holiday besides being able to stay home.
“I do think it’s just a good reminder of how many people there are in history, who made significant contributions that we aren’t even aware of today,” Eichman said. “That’s a great reason why we need to not only learn our history, but as history teachers, we need to be doing a better job of exposing our students to a wider variety of people from the past, so that their contributions are known, and are recognized.”
Though Pulaski had accomplished many things to earn a day in his name, many people view the day as a day off and forget the real reason.
“I feel bad because I fight for it, not because of Pulaski but because March is a tough month to get through,” English teacher Jamie D’Andrea said. “Spring break is coming and that’s when senioritis hits everyone now, especially in COVID year so it’s a perfect time for everyone to take a breath.”
Casimir Pulaski was a soldier who had contributed to American Independence on behalf of the American colonists according to Time and Date. It previously was a state holiday, but on the first Monday of March, only people in the Chicagoland area celebrate Pulaski day even though they may not understand his true relevance.
