U.S. State of Mississippi and City of Biloxi Designate 22 September Croatian Heritage Day
The President of the Republic Zoran Milanović continued his working visit to the United States of America on Friday in Biloxi, Mississippi, where he met with members of the local Croatian community and with the Mayor of Biloxi Andrew Gilich, who is of Croatian descent. At a ceremony in the Biloxi City Council, and on the occasion of President Milanović’s visit, Mayor Gilich designated 22 September as Croatian Heritage Day for the city of Biloxi. The Governor of Mississippi, Tate Reeves, also designated 22 September as Croatian Heritage Day for the whole state.
President Milanović said at the ceremony in Biloxi that he was pleasantly surprised by the good organization of the Croatian community in Mississippi and its good connections with the Croatian homeland. The members of the local Croatian community are mainly descendants of emigrants from Dalmatia who built their new homes in Biloxi. “This expat community from the Dalmatian islands, where the majority of all Croatian expats come from – especially from Brač and Hvar – and some parts of the Dalmatian hinterland, where the mayor of Biloxi has his roots, is a surprise,” said President Milanović, the first Croatian President and state official to visit the expat community in Biloxi.
President Milanović emphasized the importance of the maritime heritage of the Croatian people and the long-standing connection with the sea: “Croats are the only Slavic people who are seafarers. We have lived off the sea, by the sea and with the sea for centuries, and everything is based on that, from innovations to income.” Speaking about the history of the emigration of Croats to Mississippi, he said that he realized from his interactions with them that many are familiar with Brač, the island of their ancestry. “Come to Brač and see for yourselves, but I am sure that you will like it and that you will fall in love with the land of your ancestors,” President Milanović told members of the Croatian community.
Croats started to arrive in Biloxi, Mississippi, at the beginning of the 20th century, mostly from the island of Brač. They mainly worked in the shrimp fishery industry, which is still the case today, but younger generations are active in other professions as well.
Also attending the ceremony apart from the Mayor of Biloxi and the Governor of Mississippi were U.S. Senators Roger Wicker and Cindy Hyde-Smith, and Representative Mike Ezell.
On Saturday, President Milanović will visit the Croatian community in New Orleans, where he is scheduled to attend the ceremony of the official opening of the Croatian House.
PHOTO: Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia / Ana Marija Katić