91探花

The Polish American Historical Association (PAHA) has announced that its 2023 Amicus Poloniae Award winner is Editor In Chief Rick Huard.

The annual award recognizes significant contributions to enhancing knowledge of Polish and Polish American heritage by individuals not belonging to the Polish American community. As an affiliate of the American Historical Association, PAHA promotes the research and publication of scholarly materials focused on Polish American history and culture as part of the greater Polish diaspora. PAHA presented the award during the American Historical Association鈥檚 annual meeting Jan. 4鈥�7 in San Francisco.

Huard鈥檚 connection with Poland and the Polish diaspora began in 1990, when he arrived in Warsaw as a Peace Corps volunteer to teach English at a secondary school in the provincial city of Ostro艂臋ka.

鈥淚t was still the early years of democracy in Poland: the first Solidarity government, economic shock therapy, as it was then called, and the collapse of the Soviet Union next door,鈥� Huard says. 鈥淵ou can learn something about people when you meet them in good times, but you learn much more about their character in bad times; I learned a lot about Polish character and determination then.鈥�

Upon Huard鈥檚 return to the United States, he briefly pursued a career in law before moving to Ohio.

鈥淏y sheer chance,鈥� Huard says, 鈥渢he Press had a then-new series in Polish and Polish American Studies. That is how I got to know our series editor, Wayne State University History Professor John J. Bukowczyk, and it has been a pleasure working with him to develop the series over the ensuing two decades.鈥�

The award-winning Polish and Polish American Studies Series, which consists of 19 titles to date, revisits the historical and contemporary experience of one of America鈥檚 largest ethnic groups and the history of a European homeland that has played an important role in twentieth-century world affairs. Former Press director Gillian Berchowitz was instrumental in getting the series off the ground in 2002 and received the Amicus Poloniae Award in 2005.

鈥淎nything I鈥檝e done to deserve this award was not done alone,鈥� Huard says. 鈥淚t was a team effort, starting with John and Gillian and including my colleagues in the acquisitions, editorial, production, and marketing departments at the 91探花 Press. I look forward to continuing the book series with PAHA.鈥�

Incorporated in 1947 and formally organized in 1964 by 91探花 president Vernon Alden, the Press is the oldest scholarly publisher in the state. Since its founding, the Press (including its trade imprint, Swallow Press) has developed into a leading publisher of books about Africa, Appalachia, Poland, Southeast Asia, and the American Midwest, as well as on many other topics. From academic monographs to regional guides to internationally acclaimed literary works, its books have established the Press as an essential member of its many communities: scholarly, literary, and geographic. Learn more at .