Srbi u Americi i njihova periodika (review)

Krinka Vidaković Petrov's Srbi u Americi i njihova periodika, (Serbs in America and their Periodicals) was published recently in Belgrade. The book is a part of her extensive study of Serbs in America, which will, when completed, offer an all-encompassing survey of the contribution of Serbian immigrants to American history. This book is written in a professorial yet easily understood style and, as such, it will serve not only historians but also other readers interested in the subject.

Vidaković Petrov begins by writing about the first Serbian periodical in America, Sloboda, initially published in 1893 in San Francisco, and about other newspapers and periodicals. The first Serbs immigrated to America at the beginning of the 18th century, but little is known about that period. The life of the first better known Serbian immigrant, Ðorđe Šagić, known also as George Fisher, was full of adventures, various positions, and successes in American public life. The first Serbian association was formed in 1880. In the course of the following two hundred years many newspapers and periodicals appeared. The best newspaper, the bilingual American Srbobran, began publication and still continues as the best newspaper outside of Serbia. Many writers, whose talents enriched Serbian literature, contributed to all these publications.

The author writes not only about newspapers and periodicals but also about other publications, such as memoirs, calendars, etc., making detailed, at times vivid, comments about life of the Serbs in America. Therefore, her book is indispensable for examiners of Serbian immigration, their cultural life, and contribution to American history not only by outstanding persons such as Nikola Tesla and Michael Pupin, but of lesser known factors: cultural and literary societies; efforts to preserve the Serbian heritage in the new homeland and to social assimilation, in which the Serbian Orthodox church played a significant role; participation in historical events such as world wars, and so forth. Let us hope that future volumes will be available in English also, because it is pertinent not only to the immigration of Serbs into America but also to American history in general.

The future volumes of this study are impatiently expected because all the Serbian aspects of life in America will then receive full treatment. The scholarly approach and certain ability of the author, Krinka Vidaković Petrov, guarantee success.