Joseph L. ZazycznyA.C.P.C. President 1986 - 1989
In the 1980's ACPCC continued its vibrant stature as a national organization, successfully acquiring acceptance from the following individuals to serve on the Honorary Advisory Committee: Dr. Zbigniew Brzezinski; Honorable Richard Davies; John Cardinal Krol; Edward Piszek and Mr. Walter Stoessel.
A new decade with new challenges was met with optimism and alacrity, which characterized ACPCC ever since its founding. The affiliates were continuing to successfully propagate greater understanding and appreciation of Polish and Polish-American culture within the respective communities throughout the country. Joseph Zazyczny's tenure as president during this decade emphasized the need for expanded efforts for more innovative means for the preservation and propagation of Polish culture through the use of American media for greater exposure within our respective committees.
In accepting the challenge Zazyczny pursued these goals, and in his last years concentrated on developing a sound fiscal policy to meet operational costs, appealed for greater synergism among affiliates in coordinating and sponsoring events, assured the continued publication of the Polish Heritage without the need to increase membership dues, and maintained the momentum for the proposed Washington, D. C. Cultural Center.
The idea for the American Center of Polish Culture was thoroughly debated at the Buffalo convention, and the recommendation by the Board of Directors to establish and fund a Center was reaffirmed by the delegates. Mr. and Mrs. Al Koproski dedicated themselves to making this dream come true and made a substantial financial donation towards the goal of $1 million. It was generally accepted that the ACPCC's determination to preserve critical data, provide cultural information to both the affiliates as well as the general public, assuring future generations easy access to meaningful data, would be exceptionally enhanced by the Center.
In 1987 the rules and procedures governing the Awards Committee were adopted by the convention as presented by the Chairman, Walter Zachariasiewicz. The awards are: the Distinguished Service Award, the Cultural Award and the Founders Award.
Furthermore, at the 1987 convention, Mrs. Anna Chrypinska became the liaison with the Young Americans of Polish Descent, a group organized by ACPCC to encourage more meaningful dialogue and cooperation with the national organization. Mrs. Chrypinski also initiated and served as Chairperson of the Special Projects Committee, organizing a series of lectures and appearances of prominent Poles and Polish Americans nationally with the affiliates. The first to be selected for such a tour was W. S. Kuniczak who translated Sienkiewicz's Trilogy into English.
Within this time period, ACPCC became the first Polish American group to publicly support and donate financially towards Kuniczak's translation of the Trilogy.
At the 1984 Washington, D. C. convention, the delegates approved the establishment of the Cyprian Norwid Memorial Committee under the chairmanship of Alfred Bochenek. The Committee was charged with the responsibility of raising funds and finding a location for the Norwid Memorial.
The memorial was designed by Gordon Kray of Washington, D.C. and approved by the National Park Service. The sculpture was a gift to the United States and is mounted in the John Brown Museum at Harper's Ferry National Park, West Virginia. The site selection was based on the fact that Norwid praised Brown's anti-slavery efforts, in poems which were composed in 1859.
A Polish Traveling Trunk was funded with the approval of the ACPCC delegates and developed by Wanda Dezwol, Irene Musman and Marti Zazyczny. The trunks were to be used to acquaint school age children with Poland, its culture and history. Two trunks were made available, one to be used by the affiliates and the second donated to the Please Touch Museum, the children's museum in Philadelphia.
At the 1989 convention, the name American Council of Polish Cultural Clubs (ACPCC) was officially changed to: "The American Council for Polish Culture" (ACPC). The convention also amended the constitution extending the elected officers to two year terms - giving them a greater opportunity to more adequately implement Council projects.
From: American Council for Polish Culture, Our Second Quarter Century, 1973-1998. Edited by Anna Chrypinska 1998