A civil right is an enforceable right or privilege, which if interfered with by another gives rise to an action for injury. Examples of civil rights are freedom of speech, press, and assembly; the right to vote; freedom from involuntary servitude; and the right to equality in public places. Discrimination occurs when the civil rights of an individual are denied or interfered with because of their membership in a particular group or class. Statutes have been enacted to prevent discrimination based on race, sex, religion, age, previous condition of servitude, physical limitation, national origin, and in some instances sexual preference. Civil rights attorneys handle cases involving the rights of individuals to be free from unequal treatment (or discrimination) based on legally-protected characteristics such as race, gender, disability, national origin, age, sexual orientation, and religion. Civil rights cases can arise in a number of settings -- including employment, housing, lending, and education.
Panna Maria is a small unincorporated community in Karnes County, Texas, United States. It is the oldest Polish settlement in the United States. A Franciscan missionary, Father Leopold Moczygemba, started recruiting Upper Silesians in 1852, when Silesia was part of the Kingdom of Prussia. The immigrants began arriving at Indianola in early December 1854. With carts to haul them inland scarce, the immigrants walked to their land grants near San Antonio and the town was settled on Christmas Eve, 1854. The town's identity as an insular Polish enclave was sealed by four factors: Bypass by the railroad, Union sympathy (Settlers were also unionist and were occasionally massacred in Texas during this period) Polish Resurrectionist priests arrived from Europe A sisterhood of Polish teaching nuns was established