Ukraine's leading English-language newspaper since 1995

On June 27, the eve of Constitution Day in Ukraine, the Ukrainian community celebrated the 45th anniversary of the erection of Taras Shevchenko monument in the American capital.

Shevchenko, Ukraine’s most famous bard and artist, remains an inspiration for his role in creating an independent identity within Ukraine and for his role in the revival of the Ukrainian culture. It is very symbolic that 45 years ago the monument was unveiled in June, the same month as the Ukrainian Constitution is celebrated nowadays.

Shevchenko lived in the 19th century under czarist Russian rule, born a serf on March 9, 1814. He was orphaned by age 12, but his artistic and writings were soon after discovered. His difficult life and epic writings came to epitomize the strength of the nation’s soul. He died at age 47 in 1861.

The lack of mutual understanding among Ukrainians is one of the major barriers towards development and prosperity of Ukraine. In the diaspora community, faith in God, mutual culture and Taras Shevchenko have always been the basis of togetherness.

When this 24 foot high, bronze-granite monument, weighing 45 tons, was unveiled by ex-U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower on June 24, 1964, the event attracted more than 100,000 visitors from all over the world. The erection of the monument united Ukrainians and also attracted the world’s attention to human rights violations in the Soviet Union. It became a sacred place for all Ukrainian-Americans.

Many Ukrainians had a long way driving old-fashioned cars without air conditioning in hot and humid weather. Some of them have attended the 45th anniversary and shared their memories. “I arrived from New York to Washington in June, 1964, and my mother came from Minneapolis. President Eisenhower was walking along the street and people were everywhere,” Ada Kulyk says to Kyiv Post.

“It is not we who erected this monument. Shevchenko himself got the right to be here, as a fighter against oppression and for freedom,” said Bohdana Urbanovych, the chairperson of Shevchenko Memorial Committee. The monument of the poet, painter and human rights activist found its genuine place in the capital of the country of democracy.

There are historical connections of Shevchenko with America, including the friendship with a famous stage actor of African-American descent Ira Aldridge (Shevchenko even created his portrait) and the bard’s inspirational admiration of George Washington which found its place in his poetry and later was reflected on the side of the monument. In the poem “Yurodyvy (“The Feeble-Minded”) Shevchenko called on the Ukrainians to hope and expect their own George Washington whom he saw as a symbol of law, justice, decency and freedom.

The mayor of Washington, D.C., Adrian Fenty, sent a letter to the Ukrainian community in which he underlined: “We continue to value the Ukrainian community in Washington, D.C.”

Karen Stuart, acting assistant secretary for democracy, human rights and labor from the U.S. Department of State highlighted in her presentation that the event is not only the celebration for Shevchenko, but also for the solid friendship between the United States and Ukraine.

Reverend Fathers’ ecumenical prayer included Archbishop Olexander from The Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Detroit and Rev. Taras Lonchyna from the Holy Trinity Ukrainian Catholic Church in Silver Spring, MD.

Solomiya Dutkevych and the choir performed Roaring Dnipro and My Testament, the poems of Shevchenko transformed into songs.