Information and Publishing Activities of the Organization for Defense of Four Freedoms for Ukraine (ODFFU) in the USA (1947–1991)

Abstract

The purpose of the study is to analyze the informational and publishing activities of the ODFFU in the USA in 1946–1991, to trace its origin, formation and development.

The methodological basis of the research is an axiological, cultural, systemic approaches; the methods of historicism, analysis, synthesis and generalization are used.

Results. The article is devoted to the study of the activities of one of the most active social and political organizations of Ukrainian emigration in the USA, that was the Organization for Defense of Four Freedoms for Ukraine (ODFFU), which during 1946–1991 carried out active political, informational and publishing work among the Ukrainian diaspora in the USA. The information and publishing activities were focused on two aspects: the publication of the official journal «Visnyk OOChSU» (Bulletin of the ODFFU) and the publication of socio-political literature, scientific historical works and works of Ukrainian writers persecuted in Ukraine and those who worked in emigration.

Novelty. For objective reasons, such as lack of access to archives and publications of the diaspora, a large amount of information about the organizational life of Ukrainian emigration remains outside the attention of researchers, and therefore has not yet been introduced into scientific circulation. As a result of this study, it was found that the creation of the ODFFU, its «Visnyk OOChSU» and publishing house initiated new trends in the development of American Ukrainian community, led to political activation, the development of new goals, objectives and methods of political struggle for the independence of Ukraine.

The problems of emigration of Ukrainians to Europe and the USA have been raised by modern scholars, however, no researches have examined the activities of the ODFFU, let alone its informational and publishing activities, so it can be claimed that this study is the first on the offered topic.

Practical importance. The study can be used as a theoretical part of courses on the history of Ukrainian diaspora, the history of Ukrainian journalism, and political science.

Key words: author, publishing house, «Visnyk OOChSU» (Bulletin of the ODFFU), diaspora, emigration, ideology, ODFFU, political struggle, publications, editorial office, Ukraine, four freedoms.