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THADDEUS V.
GROMADA
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| Highest Degree: | Ph.D., Fordham University |
| Major Discipline: | Modern East Central European History, Polish-Czech-Slovak Relations |
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Dr. Thaddeus Vladimir Gromada, was born in Passaic, N.J., the son of Jan and Aniela Gromada who immigrated to the United States in the late 1920's from the Tatra Mountain region of Poland. His parents were Polonian activists who founded and directed the well known Polish Tatra Highlanders Folk Dance Group. He and his sister Janina were members of that group which performed from New England to Washington, D.C. Dr. Gromada is married to the former Theresa Michalski of Fair Lawn, N.J. They have two sons and a daughter and four grandchildren. Dr. Gromada received his Ph.D. degree in East Central European History from Fordham University in New York under the mentorship of the world renowned Polish historian, Oskar Halecki. It was Professor Halecki, one of the founders and first Executive Director of the Polish Institute of Arts and Sciences of America, who recommended Dr. Gromada for membership in PIASA in 1961 and encouraged him to get involved in Institute activities. From 1971 to 1988 he became secretary general of PIASA, then Vice President, and from1991 he became Executive Director. So after nearly a half century, Dr. Gromada, doctoral student of the first Executive Director is now chief executive officer of the leading Polish American learned society founded in 1942. Until his retirement a few years ago, Dr. Gromada was on the faculty of New Jersey City University in Jersey City where he attained the rank of full Professor of European History and Coordinator of Ethnic and Immigration Studies. He now has the rank of Professor Emeritus of History at NJCU. He is editor and contributor of several books dealing with Polish Foreign policy, Polish-Czech-Slovak relations, Polish Immigrant Ethnic history and author of many articles in various scholarly journals. A few years ago he edited and prepared for publication Oskar Halecki's posthumous monograph "Jadwiga of Anjou and the Rise of East Central Europe" which he presented to Pope John Paul II before the canonization of Queen Jadwiga. This year the book was translated into Polish and published by Universatis in Krakow. Together with his sister Janina he has founded and co-edited a bilingual folkloristic quarterly "The Tatra Eagle" (Tatrzanski Orzel). Governor Thomas Kean of New Jersey appointed him Chairman of the Governor's Commission on Eastern European History. Under his leadership, this Commission published a highly acclaimed report in 1989 on the status of East European studies in the secondary schools of New Jersey based on the examination of the most frequently used history and social studies textbooks. He has also served as a Consultant to the Department of Education, National Education Association, Smithsonian Institution and the Polish American Congress. In addition he was educational consultant to Learning Corporation of America on the production of an educational film "The Immigrant Experience: The Long, Long Journey" and to PBS Television Ch 21 on the production of a TV documentary,"The Polish Americans". He is also trustee and Vice Chairman of the Kosciuszko Foundation Board of Trustees based in New York City. He served twice as President of the Polish American Historical Association which awarded him its highest prize "The Haiman Medal". President Lech Walesa awarded him the"Cross of Merit" a few years ago. In June 2000 he received the "Commanders Cross of Merit" from the President of Poland during PIASA's Annual Meeting in Krakow. The Polish Highlanders Union (Zwiazek Podhalan) in Poland made him a "Honorary" member for his activities in promoting interest in Polish highlander folklore. As a firm believer in cultural pluralism and an advocate of inter-ethnic cooperation, Dr. Gromada has worked closely with many groups in America, including Jewish, Ukrainian, Slovak, Czech, Belarussian, Hungarian, Hispanic and African-American. He served on the state wide Advisory Council of the N.J. Department of Higher Education's Multi-Cultural Studies project. Since 1989 Dr. Gromada has devoted himself in establishing close contacts and a working relationship between the Polish Institute and the two major Polish Academies, Polska Akademia Nauk based in Warsaw and Polska Akademia Umiejetnosci based in Krakow. In addition he has developed a cooperative working relationship with "Poland's National Archives" in Warsaw. Both sides have benefited by these contacts. The Polish Institute is now the major center of learning about Polish and Polish American studies in America. Its website: www.piasa.org should be visited by all who have an interest in Poland and Polish America. |