Scouting in the USA in the Light of Socio-cultural Changes in the Polish Emigrant Community

Scouting – at first, Polish scouting – appeared in the USA already before the First World War, mainly thanks to its founder, Andrzej Małkowski. Nevertheless, its heyday came in the interwar period, when the American-Polish community realized that it could become an effective tool for promoting Polish culture and interest in the land of their forefathers among Polish youth. After a pause caused by the Second World War, scouting activity resumed, but in a completely different form, i.e. as part of the post-war political and pro-independence emigration, which aimed to rebuild a sovereign Polish state, then in the Soviet sphere of influence. American scouting was then – as a US division – part of the Polish Scouting and Guiding Association (ZHP), which was temporarily active outside Poland and had its structures in several countries around the world. Politically and culturally oriented, and varied in form, the activities of post-war scouting have left a lasting mark in the USA. Among other things, it contributed to slowing down the assimilation of American Poles into the culture of their country of settlement and formed many outstanding social activists, such as leaders at various levels in the structures of the Polish American Congress. However, in the 21st century, it is facing more and more obstacles due to the decreasing number of Polish emigrants and the progressive assimilation of the younger generation of Poles into the culture of the country of settlement. The key process that determined the shape of the scouting movement in this country turned out to be the situation, structure, interests and values of the old and new emigration, as well as the evolution of its ideology and sense of national identity. Nevertheless, despite the difficulties, the ZHP USA continues to operate.