Evolution of Our Ethnic Community in New York City

Throughout, there were close relations with the Slovak community. Slovak Americans who left the ethnic oppression of Hungary, were eager to take advantage of the freedom offered by the New World. Around the 1900 there has been ever more the use of the term czechoslovak; there were Czecho-Slovak outings and excursions. In 1901 Sokol NY contributed $25 for the flag of a newly established 5th group of the Slovak Sokol, and another $25 for the Slovak Sokol Library, also $6 for the 2nd group of Slovak Sokol Women.

In February 1918 the Bohemian National Hall hosted a convention of the Slovak League of America, established six years before with a membership of 200,000.

The participants declared to support the war effort and to achieve Slovak independence from Austro-Hungary. Albert Mamatey of Pittsburgh, the president of the League, presided at the convention. In 1934 Slovak Sokols had a SLET (gymnastic convention) in Philadelphia, attended by a large delegation from New York. In 1936 the Slovak American Sokols celebrated 40 years of existence by an all American SLET, presided by M.M. Hodža at the Madison Square Gardens in Manhattan. There were 15,000 in attendance, the local press called it the largest such event ever on the US East coast.