In Chicago, a city with more Polish people than anywhere else in the United States, Casimir Pulaski Day is always a very important holiday. Although not well remembered in the rest of the country, Pulaski was a Polish-born hero of the American Revolution and a cavalry general. What concept helps to explain why this holiday is so much more important to people who trace their ancestry to Poland?

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Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Symbolic ethnicity refers to the way in which ethnic identity is not necessarily part of a person's everyday life, but is instead expressed in certain situations or symbolic displays. The celebration of Casimir Pulaski Day is an example of symbolic ethnicity, where people of Polish ancestry may express their ethnic identity through celebrating a figure who is important to their cultural heritage.

In Chicago, a City with More Polish People Than Anywhere