My grandparents emigrated from Czechoslovakia in the early 1900s, met and lived up on the west side of Manhattan when they had my mother. That community had a very strong Czech component, as did some parts of Queens they later moved to.

My mother grew up learning both Czech and English, attended Sokol gymnastics and other social events at the Bohemian Hall in Astoria.

Here are a few photos of my Mom in her traditional outfits, along with her maternal Great Uncle John Klecka.

(Good job fitting into that same outfit when posing with my Mom so many years later, Uncle John!)

We still have my Mom’s flowery outfit saved in my Babi’s steamer trunk, although we are hesitant to take it out after having been folded in place for so many decades.