Joliet history museum hosts speaker on Slovenian culture

Slovenian migration to Joliet and other parts of the U.S. will be the topic of a presentation on Saturday at the Joliet Area Historical Museum.

Mirjam Milharčič Hladnik will be the speaker at the presentation at 2 p.m. in the Joliet Area Historical Museum, 204 N. Ottawa St., Joliet.

Admission is $5 to the general public and free to museum members.

Those who register in advance will be provided free admission to the Martin & Emma Planinsek Grocery & Meat Market Museum, the Joliet museum said in a news release announcing the event. The grocery museum recreates a Slovenian neighborhood grocery store at its original location at 1314 Elizabeth St. It is open 10 a.m to 4 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Hladnik is speaking across the U.S. to present the book “Daring Dreams of the Future: Slovenian Mass Migrations 1870–1945,” which recently was published in English, according to the release.

Hladnik “is one of Slovenia’s leading researchers about Slovenian-Americans and their achievements,” according to the release. “The stories she shares are of interest to anyone who wants to learn more about why so many European emigrants chose to leave their homeland and establish themselves in this country.”

The museum release described Hladnik’s presentation as “a rare opportunity to learn more about Slovenians and their cultural presence abroad.”

Her appearance at the museum is sponsored by the Slovenian Union of America, which is based in Joliet and has a museum in the city.

Advanced registration for Hladnik’s presentation can be made at www.jolietmuseum.org or by calling 815-723-5201.