A Celebration to Toast Thaddeus Kosciuszko in New York

After Poland passed the May 3 Constitution in 1791, it was attacked by Russia, Prussia and Austria who wanted to stop these democratic reforms.  King Stanislaw Augustus created the Virtuti Militari medal to honor the Polish soldiers, such as Tadeusz Kosciuszko, who had fought to defend the first democratic constitution in Europe.  But the Poles lost the war, and the Russians demanded that these medals be thrown away.

While the officers who received this honor took the medals off their chests, they sent the blue ribbons from these orders to their wives and girlfriends, who used them to tie their hair in ponytails.

On Oct 28, 1792, the name's day for Tadeusz, Prince Czartoryski held an (imieniny) party at his palace for Kosciuszko. At this party, the women wore white dresses with black and blue sashes and tied their hair in ponytails with the medal ribbons. The women made a garland crown of leaves from an oak tree planted 100 years earlier by King Sobieski, and placed it on Kosciuszko's head to honor him.

Wine and refreshment will be served.
Free Admission For Women Wearing White Dresses.
$15 Members/Students/Seniors, $20 General Admission
RSVP: (212) 734-2130 or kkoziol@thekf.org
www.thekf.org