Croatian American Studies Fund
Ensuring the Future of the IHRC's Ethnic Collections
International migration involves the history and culture of both the country of origin and the country of destination. Croatian immigration to the United States is thus an important component of the historical relationship between the Croatian and American peoples. The study of Croatian Americans inevitably involves the study of the history of both countries. Through its documentary collections and its conferences, publications, and Internet communication, the Immigration History Research Center (IHRC) facilitates understanding and appreciation of the mutual enrichment resulting from this interaction.
The IHRC, an internationally recognized leading institution for the study of migration and ethnicity, observed its 35th anniversary in the year 2000. Over these years, the center has been engaged in collecting and preserving the historical records of the great immigration from eastern and southern Europe to the United States. It now holds the richest and most extensive collection of materials for a number of ethnic groups, including Croatian Americans. Scholars from all over the country and from countries abroad, including Croatia, use these printed and manuscript documents for dissertations, articles, and books. For example, Professor Ivan Cizmic of the Institute of Applied Social Research in Zagreb, the leading historian of the Croatian emigration, has been a frequent researcher at the IHRC.
The Croatian American Collection includes such precious records as the papers of Zlatko Balokovic, famous violinist and political activist; Zlatko Kerhin, promoter of Croatian American cultural activities; Ivo Lupis-Vukic, pioneer author and journalist; and Francis Preveden, author of "History of the Croatian People." It also includes the archives of 'Dramatski Zbor "Nada"' of Chicago, a Croatian American dramatic society; and over 100 Croatian American newspapers and periodicals dating from the 1890s to the present. These and other materials document the history of Croatian immigrants and their descendents over the past 100 years.
Because of the unique value of this documentation, used by researchers from around the world, its care and development require the ongoing commitment of knowledgeable staff. The Croatian American Studies Fund will provide staff support, research awards, and outreach services to the Croatian American community. The first goal and priority is to fully endow the Louis P. Novak Fellowship in Croatian American Studies. The fellowship will support a graduate student with an interest in and knowledge of the Croatian language, Croatian history and culture, or Croatian American history. Students pursuing research on some aspect of Croatian American history or relations between Croatia and the United States will be particularly encouraged to apply.
The graduate fellow would help process materials in the Croatian American collection and also be involved in further developing the collection. Most existing documentation on Croatian Americans is at this time not in a library or archive, but in social halls, organizational files, church offices, and in basements and attics of individuals. As the older generation dies, much of this material is in danger of being lost. With this endowed fellowship, the IHRC would be better able to work with Croatian American institutions and organizations to preserve these records.
The endowed fellowship will ensure the scholarly care and attention the collection deserves and enhance possibilities for public education through media, exhibits, and curricular materials. These enhancements will contribute substantially to a greater understanding of the significance of the Croatian presence in America.
Established in 2004 the Louis P. Novak Fellowship Fund ultimately requires a total of $150,000 to endow it fully. Interest from this investment is matchable on a 1:1 basis by the University of Minnesota Graduate School. To obtain these matching funds, the fellowship endowment is invested and administered by the University of Minnesota Foundation.
As a major national initiative, the Croatian American Studies Fund will raise public consciousness and understanding of Croatian history and culture and constitute an investment in the future of research and scholarship pertaining to Croatian Americans.
Funds supporting the Croatian American Studies Fund:
Louis P. Novak Fellowship in Croatian American Studies
Please consider an online contribution or pledge today.
Follow the University of Minnesota Foundation link to use your credit card at the University of Minnesota Foundation's secure site. You must type in the designation "Immigration History Research Center: Croatian American Studies Fund (Fund 4601)" in order to have your gift directed to this particular fund. You may also submit a pledge through the same Web page.
