The collection consists of material personally collected by Dr. Staško. In the mid-seventies, Dr. Staško launched an appeal to his Slovak compatriots and friends from all over the world, to participate in the creation of the Slovak National Archives in the United States. In response to this request, some of Dr. Staško's contemporaries donated their personal papers and other collections related to Slovak history and culture. Dr. Staško's project of the American-based Slovak National Archives did not materialize for lack of physical and financial resources. However, as a result of Dr. Staško's initiative, important documents were collected from various sources.
The collection primarily consists of the personal papers of well know diplomats, politicians, professors, journalists, poets, and artists. It consists of correspondence, personal photographs, journals and memoirs, writing and poetry, as well as newspaper clippings, pamphlets and other collected materials.
The collection also includes the records of prominent Slovak organizations including the Slovak Action Committee, the Slovak League of America, and the Slovak World Congress.
These documents offer information on: the political history of Slovakia during its many regimes; the history and culture of the Slovak people living in Slovakia or abroad, especially in the United States and Canada. It provides important, and often unique information on Slovak political, cultural, and nationalist organizations aimed at the conservation and survival of the Slovak heritage.
This fonds may contain information related to sensitive historical events, particularly the Second World War. Some individuals mentioned or depicted in these archives may have been involved, directly or indirectly, in war, collaboration with authoritarian regimes, or support for the Nazi regime.
