CALUMET CITY | The City Council paid tribute to its population's second-largest ethnic group last week by declaring that October will be Polish-American Heritage Month.

The council voted 7-0 to approve a resolution declaring the month as a tribute to the ethnic group, noting that the first Poles came to what is now the United States on the English ship Margaret and Mary in October 1608. The immigrants had been hired to open a glass manufacturing house at the colony at Jamestown in Virginia.

"Today, people of Polish descent are the sixth-largest ethnic group in (the United States), residing in all 50 states and participating in every aspect of American life," the resolution reads.

Alderman Gerald Tarka said he was pleased with the resolution and with the fact that Calumet City will have a Polish-American Heritage Day celebration on Oct. 5.

A wreath will be laid at 10 a.m. across the street from City Hall, 204 Pulaski Road, and an 11:15 a.m. service is planned at St. Andrew the Apostle church, 768 Lincoln Ave. The service will feature the church's Polish choir.

A buffet lunch follows in the school gym. Musical entertainment by Gennie O and The Next Step starts at 3 p.m.

"This is something I think we can all be proud of, and all can enjoy," Tarka said.

Although Calumet City now has a majority of African-American residents - 53 percent, according to the U.S. Census Bureau - it still has a variety of ethnicities among its population of 37,064.

The Census Bureau noted that 13 percent of Calumet City residents indicated Polish ethnic ancestry, making it the second-largest group in the city.

Hispanics make up the third-largest group at 11 percent, with the bulk of that people of Mexican ethnicity. Calumet City had a Hispanic-American heritage festival on Sunday at Memorial Park.

Of other ethnicities, people of German and Italian background compose at least 5 percent of Calumet City's population. In all, 19 different ethnic groups comprise at least 1 percent of the suburb's population.