The great majority of Czechs who immigrated to the United States between 1848 and 1914 and especially those who migrated before the 1890's shared a common peasant background, they were former small farm workers.

         Some 35 million Europeans immigrated to the United States between 1820 and 1930, most of them chose the years between 1848 and 1914 to make the transition. Approximately 300,000 of these people were Czechs. The Czechs therefore comprised a relatively small immigrant group. The migrants of 1840 were not the first Czechs to seek American homes, nor were the migrants of 1914 the last of the countrymen to seek refuge in the New World. Moreover, the Czechs immigration was not a random movement in either a personal or a regional sense. It represented the relocation of both individuals and extended families, who made collective decisions to escape a deteriorating way of life in the peasant villages of Bohemia and Moravia. It did not involve all of the Czech lands.

         Most of the migrants before 1900, came from southern Bohemia and eastern Moravia, two densely populated regions of poor soil and productivity. Although, the bulk of the migrants were peasant farmers, many of them had also doubled as craftsmen, and artisans in their villages. Among the immigrants in America, were many coopers, saddlers, harness makers, tinsmiths, carpenters, masons, tailors and shoemakers.

         By 1900 the sources of Czechs immigration had changed. After that date the usual migrants were skilled factory workers seeking improved conditions of labor in American industry. The new industrial elite in the Czech lands had begun to complain of labor shortage. By 1910, in general, the Czech immigrants reflected a high level of skills, and only 40 percent of them relocated in America as farmers.

         Immigration was an attractive move, primarily to the middle level of the Czech peasantry. Czech peasants lived in villages and walked to their little strips of farmland each morning. Villages were very uniformed to about 50 or 100 homemade brick or stone houses on a single dusty road-like street, whitewashed and roofed with red tile or straw thatched.

         The Czech Immigrants, who located in a bustling city of mid-America, underwent a wrenching personal transformation. In America, the farm houses were isolated structures, and the out-buildings were not part of the family home. Houses were far from each other, no social ability, no church or school close by.

         The Czech immigrant, who became an American farmer, gained something in the trade. He obtained more land and possibly better land. One Czech farmer who settled in the Minnesota territory said, "There is much truth in the saying that whoever immigrates to America makes his lot worse -- for he sacrifices himself so his descendants may fare better. For this most of all, we emigrate here to make living better for ourselves and our children."

         Czechs came to America and with rare exceptions they remained and adjusted. The immigration was in fact a part of the National revival of people and a by-product of economic change; and American social scientists later called it the "Revolution of rising expectations." It was a gradual, sustained movement of families whose members embarked for America from Bremen, Hamburger, or La Havre, on the usual immigrants ships and entered the United States through New York, Baltimore, New Orleans or Galveston, and proceeded to inland destinations. The numbers in any given year were never large, and the total Czech immigration for the 1848 to 1914 period was not much larger than the German-speaking immigration of the single year of 1882.

         Only in the seven years before 1914, did the number of Czech immigrants exceed 100,000 persons.

         The thirteenth census of the United States, conducted in 1910, estimated the number of Czechs in America to be 228,738. With the addition of their American born children, estimated to be 310,654, the census officials arrived at a figure of 539,392, but there were many more first and second generation of foreigners of "Czech extraction" residents of the country.

         Czech immigrants and Americans of Czech extraction were only a small fraction of the American population with the exception of a large community in New York City, and a smaller one Baltimore. The Czechs located in the middle western states, from Ohio to the Dakotas, Nebraska and Kansas. In the southwest, in Texas and Oklahoma about 40% of Czech-Americans settled on farms. Czechs loved the land and a larger percent of the second generation lived on farms than did the first generation.

         The history of Czech settlements in the United States is easy to "sketch." The first urban colony developed in St. Louis, and the first farm settlement appeared in Wisconsin along the shores of Lake Michigan, from Racine to Keswaukee. Both of these settlements were organized in the 1850's. Shortly thereafter, Moravian-Czechs established the first of many colonies in East-Central Texas and in the 1850's Czech farmers established themselves in eastern Iowa and in Minnesota territory, both south and west of St. Paul.

         The beginnings of Czech communities in Baltimore, New York and Cleveland also date from the early 1850's. In the early 1860's the first Czechs arrived in Chicago and the beginnings of many settlements in eastern Nebraska date from late 1860's. Czechs settled in central Kansas in the mid 1870's in an organized colonizing venture and in the late 1870's other Czechs settled in a number of places in eastern Dakota territory. After 1898 Czech farmers began to settle in the recently opened land of the Oklahoma territory.

         While the first urban colony appeared in St. Louis, and Racine, Wisconsin enjoyed the reputation of the "Czech Bethlehem," neither St. Louis or Wisconsin remained long at the forefront of "Czech America."

         Three large urban colonies: New York, Cleveland and Chicago eventually eclipsed St. Louis as major Czech centers. Wisconsin yielded its position as the Czech agricultural state to Nebraska and Texas. Omaha became a more important center of Czech life. Then St. Louis and some early centers such as Baltimore and Milwaukee declined in importance. The Czech population of Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa and Kansas, stabilized in size by 1890 while the settlements in Nebraska and Texas continued to grow slowly.

         Regardless of locations, Czech farmers in the United States practiced diversified and self- sufficient agriculture. Czech urban dwellers, except for the residents of Chicago, became increasingly specialized in their occupations, for example, cigar-making and the manufacture of pearl buttons, mostly among the Czechs of New York. Cleveland Czechs became skilled in factory operations. By the mid-1890's Chicago became the center of Czech-American life and by 1910 more people of Czech extraction lived in Chicago then in any city in the world, except in the city of Prague in Czechoslovakia.

         Czech immigration in a large scale ended with World War I. With cementing of a Czech-Slovak partnership in 1918, the Czechs again became part of an independent national state.

         There was some immigration to the United States in the 1920's and 1930's, but after 1924 the imposition of quota systems insured that the number would be small. Moreover, the creation of "Czechoslovakia" also entailed the creation of a new nationality -- Czechoslovakian. American immigration officials took due note of this in 1921 and after that date it is impossible to tell from official data if immigrants were Czechs, Slovaks or others who held Czechoslovakian citizenship.

         There was some relaxation of the quota to accommodate refugees from the Nazi occupation of 1938, the Communist coup of 1948 and the Soviet invasion in 1968. The refugee immigrants who entered the United States in the wake of these national disasters were mostly government officials, writers and other intellectuals. The common folks, the raw material of Czech- Americans life, had arrived before 1914.

         Czechoslovakia is a very beautiful nation, locked in the heart of Europe it is one of the more beautiful countries on Earth. It has just about everything - high mountains, deep valleys, dense forests, rolling plains, rivers, lakes, caves -everything except coast line.

         Czechs began coming to America quite early. Augustine Hermann reached New Amsterdam in 1633. Among the first to enter Texas was Fredrick Lamsky, who was a musician with Sam Houston's little army at San Jacinto. Few others followed until the 1850's. The first organized Czech immigrant group of sixteen families arrived in Galveston in 1850. By 1900 there were more than 15,000 Czechs and Moravians in Texas. Most of these newcomers to the Lone Star State were farmers in the Old Country. They settled in the rich black land areas and the Gulf coastal plains. From these areas they have spread out over the State, from the Panhandle to deep East Texas. One finds evidence of Czech settlements such as names on mailboxes, Czech churches, fraternal organizations and Czech festivals, and Czech language radio broadcasts. Czechs are in all 50 states.

         The first Czech immigrant groups of 16 families arrived at Galveston in 1850. They were fleeing the oppression which followed the unsuccessful revolt of 1848. These people had chosen Texas as their refuge in response to the glowing letters sent to Bohemia and Moravia by the Reverend Arnost Bergmann of Cat Springs.

         Their voyage from Hamburg, Germany to Texas lasted a miserable 17 weeks. The ship was a leaky tub, the "Mor'ia." Some of the travelers on the ship did not survive the long trip. There were 295 persons at the start of the trip.

         The Czech pride and traditions are kept alive by the activities of social and fraternal organizations. Our Czech heritage has been woven into the cloth of general experiences, but it still remains a distinctive thread which can be seen and traced by those who look with knowing eyes.

         We here in Baldwin County keep our "Czech Heritage" alive by wearing our colorful Czech costumes. We play our Czech music at our "Heritage Day" in Silverhill, and then celebrating "Ethnic Day" in Foley. We Czechs also perform at "International Day" in Mobile.

         Czechs and Moravians first came to Baldwin County in 1898. First settler was Mr. James Vlasak. He lived in Silverhill. About 250 Czech and Moravian families in Baldwin County settled in and around the communities of Fairhope, Summerdale, Silverhill, Foley, Robertsdale, and some in Loxley. Some undertook farming, some were real estate agents. Beginnings were very hard as families first had to clear the land to plant crops of potatoes and cucumbers. Some got discouraged and went back to northern states to look for jobs in factories.

         Now in 1986, there are very few of the old settlers left. Most are third, fourth and fifth generations and many of them are still farming. The very first settlers built a hail for their meetings and entertainments. It served also as church and school and later it was given to the Silverhill school and is now used for classrooms. It is a beautiful reminder to us of our "Czech Heritage."

         In later years the Czech speaking people of Baldwin County formed a club (1924) and built a hall for meeting purposes. They named the club, "Pori'cny' a La'bavny'Krouz'ek" which translates to "Educational and Entertaining Circle." We held meetings there and also had stage plays in the Czech language. Since not many older members of the club could take part in dancing and other activities, we taught the younger generation the Czech National dance, the "Beseda" which translates to "Neighborly dance." At that time our first instructor was Mrs. Anna Blaha, now residing in California.

         The dance, "Beseda" originated in the country now called "Czechoslovakia," somewhere around the year 1860, by leading musical figures of that time. Music and dance often times called "Language for the Heart," occupies the foremost position in the Czechoslovakian people's cultural art field. We sing the National Anthem, church songs, festival songs, love songs, the patriotic songs and the simple folk songs that speak of the things closest to the heart of every. Czechoslovakian. The love of home and country, family and friends -- all this combines to form the richest segment of Czechoslovakian art.

         The Musical Historian "Burney" in 1773 called the Czechs and Moravians the most musical people of all Europe. Many Czech folk songs have educational purpose. Music is part of every Czech's life, at home, at work, and on festive occasions music is in their thoughts and hearts.

         The most famous composer of modern folk songs was "Karel Has'ler," a man considered patriot's martyr - for the songs he composed during the Second World War, the period of Czechoslovakia's darkest hours of history. His most loved composition was a song called, "TaNas'e Pisnic'ka C'eska" translated to, "Our Beautiful Czech Song." It was a song expressing the love of all Czechs for their songs. Music and dancing is a sphere in which Czechs and Moravians have excelled and have contributed to the cultural growth of all nations. We feel it is our duty for the descendants of the Czechs and Moravian Pioneers of America to foster and teach an abiding love of mother-tongue for all our descendants and to be proud of their Czech blood and origins; to remember with pride their history and traditions. For these reasons we unite and help arrange the Czech festivals all over the United States, to motivate the feeling of love and remembrance of a "Proud Heritage" and to preserve our customs for future generations.

         Today, there are about 10 million people that speak the Czechoslovakian language. The beautiful and colorful costumes of Czechoslovakia are not worn anymore, except on very festive occasions, but here in America we are reviving the old customs of dancing and singing, along with the art of making the beautiful costumes, and to teach our children and grandchildren all the beautiful things our forefathers taught us.

         Practically all of us who immigrated to America have become United State citizens.