Marie Prisland – her role in preserving Slovenian culture and tradition among Slovenian migrants in the United States

Abstract

Marie Prisland came to the United States in 1906 as a fifteen year old girl. In 1926 she founded Slovenian Women’s Union of America and was its national president for twenty years. In 1929 she created a magazine Zarja - The Dawn, which became the official publication of the Women’s Union and to which she contributed regularly. She was active in different Slovenian-American organizations and wrote for many newspapers and magazines in Slovenia and America throughout her life. She strived for the preservation of Slovenian culture and tradition but also for the progress and development of Slovenian communities. The text shows how strong was her determination to help Slovenian migrant women in the United States to obtain the position of authority and respect. As much as she wished to preserve the traditional gender roles, she believed that only a changed, respected Slovenian woman with authority could become a part of the history of Slovenians in the States and in the homeland.