The Settlement, Growth and Movement of the Czechs and their Institutions in Cleveland, Ohio

This presentation from Stephen J. Sebesta, Ph.D. accompanies his book of the same name. Highlighted with many photos, maps and graphics, it will review the history of the Bohemians, Moravians, and Silesians in Europe, collectively known as the Czechs, and the forces that led them to emigrate. It will trace immigration patterns of the Czechs in the U.S. more broadly with a more detailed descriptions of the Czech settlements in Cleveland, Ohio, which, in 1910, had the fourth largest population of Czech born inhabitants in the world exceeded only by Chicago, Vienna, and Prague. There will be a brief discussion about all the Catholic and Protestant churches, the Jewish immigrants, freethinker organizations and the Sokols, as well other Czech organizations and institutions over the period starting from approximately 1850 to the present time. It will review the importance of Czech music and drama societies and summarize the history of Czech fraternalism, newspapers, radio broadcasting, breweries, and other activities, and note the importance of the Cleveland Agreement and the Cleveland Czechoslovak Legionnaires who fought in World War I.

Stephen J. Sebesta was born in Cleveland, Ohio and raised in the predominantly Czech Mt. Pleasant neighborhood. He attended Cathedral Latin High School, obtained a B.S.C.E at Ohio University, an M.S.C.E in environmental engineering and an M.S in occupational and environmental health from the Medical School at Wayne State University, and a Ph.D. from The Union Institute. Dr. Sebesta, a registered professional engineer, has served as President of Stephen J. Sebesta and Associates, Inc., Consulting Environmental Health Engineers since 1980. He has taught on the faculties of Cleveland State University and Case/Western Reserve University and has served on a Board of Advisors for the Russ College of Engineering at Ohio University. He has served as President of the Cleveland Chapter of the Czechoslovak Society of Arts and Sciences (SVU) and as a Vice President of Sokol Greater Cleveland at Bohemian National Hall. He has lectured on the subjects of the Czechs in Cleveland and the Cleveland Czech Legionnaires throughout the U.S. and in the Czech Republic and Slovakia and is the author of The Wartime Experiences of A Cleveland Czechoslovak Legionnaire.

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