Zlatko Ivan Kerhin (1881-1968) was born in Sisak, Croatia, and left around 1898 for Chicago, Illinois. There he married Ana Pepich, sister of Stephan Pepich, a popular Yugoslav singer and musician. The couple had three children. The Kerhins lived in Chicago; Pueblo, Colorado; and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, but in 1914 settled in Gary, Indiana. Zlatko was active in civic affairs, and particularly in the development and promotion of Croatian singing and music societies, helpimg to organize two singers' alliances (or zupe), the Mihanovic (Chicago, Illinois) and Faller (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania). These served as organizational bodies for the smaller groups such as Society Javor. In 1949, these zupe became part of the national American-Croatian Singers Federation (Americko-Hrvatskog Pjevacki Savez). Zlatko served as its president off and on during the l950's and l960's.
The papers (1910-1976) of Zlatko Ivan Kerhin (1881-1968) include correspondence; genealogical information; minutes; photographs; programs, sheet music and other materials of Croatian American musical societies; reminiscences by Kerhin's daughter Zora; and scrapbooks. Records of the Croatian Union of Gary (Ind.); the Jefferson Club of Gary (Ind.); the Society Preradovic (ca. 1930-1970s); and the Society Mihanovic (ca. l930-l950s) are included.
Preliminary inventory available.
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