Peabody Portuguese American Civic League [1939-1966]

Dublin Core

Title

Date

1939-1966

Description

This collection includes photographs from the Portuguese American Civic League (PACL) in Peabody, Massachusetts. These photographs capture the Peabody PACL officers, members of the Fall River branch, and the Foreign Affairs Minister of Portugal's visit to Peabody, MA, as well as other images related to the history of the Portuguese American Civic League.

Historical Overview:
The Portuguese American Civic League (PACL), also known as the Portuguese American Civic Association, had been founded with the purpose of assisting Portuguese immigrants with achieving citizenship, though it functioned as both a civic and social club for the Portuguese communities. Throughout the early 1900's, the PACL established branches in several Massachusetts cities including Cambridge, Fall River, Falmouth, Somerville, Lawrence, Somerset, Lowell, and Peabody.

Peabody's branch of the PACL was established in the May of 1927. Like many other Portuguese organizations in Peabody, the Peabody PACL was born out of the Portuguese Benefit Society, and many meetings and events sponsored by the organization were held in the Our Lady of Help Hall. Among these events included military and PACL balls, musical performances, state conventions and parades, paper drives, annual picnics, anniversary celebrations where Portuguese students with the highest scholastic ratings were awarded medals and/or awards, the "Peter Francisco Essay Award Contest," and other general community endeavors in the city of Peabody. Other groups founded within the Peabody PACL included a bowling club, a rifle team, a drill team, and a drum corps.

This collection was donated by Stephanie Doucette, the granddaughter of Hilda Marie Prata. Hilda Prata served as a secretary for the Portuguese American Civic League in Peabody for many years.

Subject

Community organization

Portuguese American women

Politicians

Fraternal organizations

Dinners and dining

Coverage

Peabody (Mass.)

Fall River (Mass.)

Source

Donated by Stephanie Doucette.

Publisher

UMass Lowell, Center for Lowell History

Rights

In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted: This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. In addition, no permission is required from the rights-holder(s) for educational uses. For other uses, you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).