Highlights from the UNA's 110-year history (06/13/04)

Highlights from the UNA's 110-year history

A special yearlong feature focusing on the history of the Ukrainian National Association.

The nation's capital was the venue for the UNA's 19th Convention on May 10-15, 1937. With 319 delegates attending, Nicholas Murashko was re-elected to the post of supreme president and the UNA's By-Laws were amended.

The convention also decided that "the editing, printing and distribution of Svoboda should be entrusted to such a corporation and on such conditions as the Supreme Executive Committee finds suitable. The com-mittee should sign a contract with a publishing firm, whereby the latter will agree to issue all publications requested by the UNA and mail copies of Svoboda to each member of the UNA at the prescribed rate of subscription." The reason for this decision was to protect the UNA from lawsuits and other difficulties associated with Svoboda. Thus, the UNA retained ownership of the newspaper, but was relieved of all responsibility for its content.

Between the 18th and 19th conventions, it should be noted, the UNA Supreme Assembly in 1933 appointed Dr. Luke Myshuha as editor-in-chief of Svoboda, a position that had been held by Omelian Reviuk.

Also between the two conventions, the UNA declared 1934 a jubilee year, launched a new membership drive on that occasion and published a commemorative book. The organization also invested $2.5 million in U.S. bonds in response to President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's appeal to help improve the nation's economy.

Reports delivered at the 19th Convention noted that the UNA had a total membership of 30,335, of which 8,416 were enrolled in the Juvenile Department. Total assets of the fraternal organization had grown to $4,489,305.96.

Source: "Ukrainian National Association: Its Past and Present, (1894-1964)," by Anthony Dragan (translated from the original Ukrainian by Zenon Snylyk). Jersey City, N.J.: Svoboda Press, 1964. The border featured in this special feature is reproduced from a UNA membership certificate dating to 1919.

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