Think of colonial America and names like George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Benedict Arnold and Thomas Jefferson come to mind. But there’s one man who’s name doesn’t always pop up in history books as often as Alex Storozynski thinks it should.
So Storozynski wrote his own book, The Peasant Prince, to tell the story of a man who helped shape the history of this country and region.
Thaddeus Kosciuszko was a polish man who tried to start a revolution against feudalism in Poland in the late 1700s. When that didn’t work, he came to America to tackle the similar situation of colonists being `enslaved` or controlled by the British. Here, he found his engineering skills and ideas put to use almost immediately, when he was put in charge of building forts to protect against the British in Philadelphia.
`They were quite impressive for their day because they included something that is a sharpened log with ironed tips underwater which would puncture holes in any British ships that would attack` said Storozynski.
Leaders in the American Revolution quickly realized that Kosciuszko was gifted, so he was given other tasks, like a project to protect troops as the escaped capture at the Battle of Fort Ticonderoga, designing and building the main fortress at West Point (Benedict Arnold tried to sell those plans to the British in one of the most well-known examples of treason) and devising the plan for the Battle of Saratoga.
It was what Kosciuszko did after the Revolutionary War was over, though, that struck Storozynski as `amazing` and prompted him to write a biography.
`He was a man ahead of his time because after the war he gave his salary to Thomas Jefferson and said, ‘take my salary and use it to buy me [Black] slaves and then give them their freedom.’ Kosciuszko told him to use the money to buy them land and farming tools so they could make their own living and money in this country. Unfortunately, Jefferson never did it,` said Storozynski. `I thought he not only talked the talk but walked the walk. How many would be willing to give all their money to people who are suffering?`
Although Kosciusko made his mark on American history in a big way, he is rarely mentioned in traditional American history textbooks. Storozynski’s `The Peasant Prince` was released in hardcover last year and just came out in paperback at the beginning of August. He said it’s the first book that bridges the gap between Kosiusko’s career in the U.S. and Poland.
`He had an unpronounceable name, so he was forgotten [here]. He was a humble guy who didn’t seek the limelight,` said Storzynski.
Surprisingly, though, while Kosciusko’s legacy is not widely documented in words, it is memorialized in stone all over this country and Poland.
`Believe it or not, there are more statues of him in the U.S. than any other historical figure except for George Washington, and people still didn’t know who he was,` said Storzynski. `There’s a statue at West Point, across from the White House, in Philadelphia, Detroit, Milwaukee, Chicago, Boston, St. Petersburg, Fla.`
It took Storzynski two years to write `The Peasant Prince` and he traveled to historical archives around the country to read just about every book or document that mentioned Kosciusko. He also re-discovered the Kosciusko Foundation, which has been around for 85 years and that he is now the president of.
`Our foundation gives out scholarships to Polish Americans and I got one 20 years ago. I decided I wanted to give back and do something for the organization,` said Storzynski, who previously worked as a journalist in New York City. `It’s been a fascinating transition. We promote Polish culture in the U.S., do a lot of programs, have a Chopin contest for kids from music schools, have fundraisers and a museum.`
The foundation gives away so much money in scholarships that Storzynski said it’s a bit difficult raising enough each year. The profit from any copy of `The Peasant Prince` sold through the Foundation’s Web site will go to the organization.
`The Peasant Prince` won five book awards, has garnered widespread critical acclaim and was even given to President Barack Obama by the president of Poland. Visit www.peasantprince.com for more information about the book or to buy it. It can also be purchased on Amazon.com or BarnesandNoble.com.
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