KNIZHNICA
BOOKSHELF
There are in this world such far-rovers
Who believe not in God nor in devil,
Who delight in bright banners high over
The ships that in ocean ports revel.
They have none here to leave whom they cherish,
For they have neither kin nor belongings,
They care not if they live or they perish,
On one sole aim are fixed all their longings:
To visit lands, so far unsought-for,
To taste there of fortune and grieving,
And to perish among the salt waters
Of blue seas where white foam is heaving.
But we do not seek such a bounty,
It is not far lands we are needing,
We would not have left our dear country
If there had been bread for our feeding.
And in clatter and noise of streets roaming,
Where the crowd, ever-restless, whirls streaming,
We dream of the village, the Nioman,
And Libava with harbour lights gleaming.
Maksim Bahdanovich
There were settlers from Belarus in America at a very
early period of this country's history with a massive influx beginning
after 1863-64, when the unsuccessful uprising led by Kastus Kalinouski
failed to attain freedom for the Belarus and was crushed by tsarist armies.
The ensuring campaign of russification and religious persecution then began
in earnest.
The mass immigration from entire territory of Belarus,
mostly for local reasons, came between 1880 and 1920. The immigrants came
from all regions of Belarus. The post World War II immigration-numbered
about 100,000 people and it was essentially political in the nature.
Many who came from Belarus used the American gift
of liberty in a remarkable way and to the advantage and benefit of the
entire American nation. Among these were the Rev. Francis Dzierazynski
(1779-1850), founder of several Catholic high schools and colleges, Dr.
N. Russell (1850-1930, nee: Mikalai Sudzilovski), President of the first
Hawaiian Senate, Gen. David Sarnoff, founder of RCA and many others.
This page is a collection of articles about Belarusians
at home and abroad, as well as their surroundings. Works in Belarusian
and English are also included on these pages. Hopefully, this material
will make Belarusians easier to understand and relate to.
Notes
on Belarusian-American-English Literary Relations
Notes
on Belarusian Culture (1920-1938)
Artists
From Belarus: The School of Paris
Belarusian
Tristan
The
Francysk Skaryna Belarusian Library and Museum
South
River
Piotra
Krecheuski
Vasil
Zacharka
Ivonka Survilla
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This page has been designed by Artem
Peplov. Content of these pages is developed by Liavon
Yurevich. (1997)
