Lithuanians in Chicago and the nearby metropolitan area are a prominent group within the "Windy City" whose presence goes back over a hundred years. Today the Chicago area possesses the largest Lithuanian community outside Lithuania, who have dubbed the city as Little Lithuania, and many Lithuanian Americans refer to it as the second capital of Lithuania. Lithuanian Americans from Chicago have had a significant impact on politics in both the United States and Lithuania. The population is currently declining.
Kurier Wileński is the main Polish-language newspaper in Lithuania. Printed in Vilnius, it is the only Polish-language daily newspaper published east of Poland. A direct descendant of both the 19th-century newspaper of the same name and the Czerwony Sztandar newspaper, created by the Soviet authorities in 1953 as a means of Sovietization of the Polish diaspora left in the Polish areas annexed by the Soviet Union. The newspaper is a member of the European Association of Daily Newspapers in Minority and Regional Languages (MIDAS). According to TNS Gallup media research, Kurier Wileński 36,800 people or 1.4% of Lithuania's population read at least one issue out of the last six in summer 2008, but that measure dropped to 0.3% in spring 2010.
Lietuvos žinios was a daily newspaper in Lithuania. Established in Vilnius in 1909, it was a liberal newspaper representing the Lithuanian Democratic Party. Even though its publication was interrupted by World War I and Soviet occupation of Lithuania, Lietuvos žinios billed itself as the oldest newspaper in Lithuania.
Kazys Bradūnas was a Lithuanian émigré poet and editor. He was born in Kiršai, in the Lithuania District of Ober Ost, a territory occupied by the German Empire.
Rygos naujenos was a Lithuanian-language newspaper printed in Riga, Latvia, from December 29, 1909 to July 11, 1915. Liberal in political orientation, but nationalist (pro-Lithuanian) and anti-communist, the paper was the most widely circulated newspaper amongst Lithuanian citizens residing in Latvia. It was founded and edited by Liudvikas Jakavičius.
Lietuvos ūkininkas was a weekly Lithuanian-language newspaper published between 1905 and 1940. It was published by and reflected the political views of the Lithuanian Democratic Party, Peasant Union, and Lithuanian Peasant Popular Union. Its printing and daily operations were managed by its long-time publisher Felicija Bortkevičienė. It was a liberal publication geared towards the wider audience of less educated farmers and peasants. In 1933, its circulation was 15,000 copies. When Lithuania was occupied by the Soviet Union in 1940, the newspaper was nationalized and replaced by Valstiečių laikraštis.
Karys is a Lithuanian-language military magazine published since 1919. It is a magazine about the Lithuanian Army and is geared towards the soldiers and the general public. During the interwar period (1919–1940) it was published weekly in Kaunas by the Ministry of National Defence of Lithuania and the General Staff of Lithuania. During World War II, it was a magazine of the Lithuanian Auxiliary Police Battalions. During the Soviet period (1950–1990), it was published monthly by Lithuanian veterans in New York. After the restoration of independence in 1990, it is once again published monthly by the Ministry of Defence. The circulation was 4,000 copies in 1920, 33,000 copies in 1940, 1,650 copies in 1983, 22,000 copies in 1991, 3,000 copies in 2005.
Rygos garsas was a Lithuanian-language newspaper published in Riga from March 1909 to August 1917. While format and publication frequency varied, most of the time Rygos garsas was a four-page newspaper published twice a week. In total, 716 issues were published. The newspaper published news from abroad and Lithuania as well as articles on issues of Lithuanian education, religion, culture in Latvia. It supported the Catholic values.
Pranciškus Petras Būčys was a Lithuanian Roman Catholic priest, university professor, titular bishop of the Eastern Catholic Church, and Superior-General of the Congregation of Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception.
Jonas Šliūpas was a prominent and prolific Lithuanian activist during the Lithuanian National Revival. For 35 years, he lived in the United States working to build national consciousness of Lithuanian Americans. He edited numerous periodicals, organized various societies, and published some 70 books and brochures on various topics. His sharp criticism of the Catholic Church made him highly controversial and unpopular among the conservative Lithuanians.
Draugija was a Lithuanian-language magazine published in Kaunas in 1907–1914, 1919–1923, and 1937–1940. Published by the Society of Saint Casimir, it focused on the issues of Lithuanian culture, literature, science, and politics and was geared towards the intelligentsia and the Catholic clergy. It urged everyone to work on developing the Lithuanian culture which would distinguish the Lithuanian nation from others and believed in slow and steady cultural work. The magazine critically reviewed essentially every more substantial work of Lithuanian literature, published articles to improve and standardize the Lithuanian language, discussed how to improve education, analyzed social and political issues in Lithuania, promoted Christian democracy, criticized ultra-conservatives and attempted to find the proper place for the Catholic Church in modern society and science. Its issues usually had more than 100 pages and reached circulation of 1,000 copies. Its long-term editor was Catholic priest Adomas Jakštas (1907–1938). In total, 213 issues were published. Its supplement for Catholic youth Ateitis (Future) edited by Pranas Dovydaitis gave rise to the Lithuanian Catholic Federation Ateitis.
Žasliai railway disaster occurred on 4 April 1975 near Žasliai, Lithuanian SSR. A passenger train on Vilnius–Kaunas Railway hit a tank car carrying fuel. The passenger train derailed and caught fire. Soviet authorities suppressed the news of the disaster and there are persistent rumors that the official death toll of 20 dead and 80 injured is understated, but it remains the largest railway accident in Lithuania.
Aleksandras Mykolas Račkus was a Lithuanian physician and an active member of the Lithuanian American community known for his numismatic and other collection. In 1917, he co-founded the Lithuanian Society of Numismatics and History in Chicago. In 1935, his and the society's collections were acquired by Lithuania and are held by the M. K. Čiurlionis National Art Museum. He then restarted a Lithuania-themed collection which was acquired by the Balzekas Museum of Lithuanian Culture in 1965. A collection of various documents related to Lithuanian Americans and their organizations and societies is kept by the Martynas Mažvydas National Library of Lithuania.
The Lithuanian National Cemetery is a non-profit cemetery in Justice, Illinois, that mainly serves the Lithuanian American community in Chicago. Established in 1911, it is the resting place of many prominent Lithuanians in politics, culture, and science.
Leonas Prapuolenis was a Lithuanian public figure, commander and leader of the June Uprising of 1941 in Lithuania.
Valstiečių laikraštis is a Lithuanian-language newspaper targeting farmers. It mainly publishes articles related to agricultural policies, best farming practices and methods, and other issues of Lithuanian farmers. Established in 1940, it was an official publication of the Communist Party of Lithuania. In 1951–1989, it was published three times a week. Prior to 1951 and after 1989, it is published twice a week on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
Lietuvių laikraštis was an illustrated Lithuanian-language weekly newspaper published in Saint Petersburg, Russian Empire, from 1 December 1904 to 19 January 1906. It was the first legal Lithuanian periodical published in the Russian Empire after the Lithuanian press ban was lifted in May 1904. Established by a Lithuanian businessman and supported by the Lithuanian clergy, the newspaper did not become popular in Lithuania and closed after a year due to financial difficulties. It paid substantial attention to the history of Lithuania while neglecting to cover current events in Russia. Many prominent Lithuanians contributed material to the newspaper, including Jonas Mačiulis-Maironis who is believed to have incited its publication.
Dirva (transl. field) is a Lithuanian-language weekly newspaper of Cleveland, Ohio established in 1916.
Kazys Pakštas was a Lithuanian political theorist and professor of geography, the pioneer of professional geography in Lithuania. He is best known for his political works on Dausuva and Baltoscandia.
Vincentas Taškūnas (1880–1967) was a Lithuanian Roman Catholic priest.
