Repository: ULS Archives & Special Collections
Title: Ukrainian Nationality Room Committee Collection
Creator: University of Pittsburgh. Nationality Rooms Program. Ukrainian Nationality Room Committee
Collection Number: UA.40.23
Extent: 5.6 Linear Feet (15 boxes)
Date: 1973-2000
Abstract: The Ukrainian Nationality Room Committee Collection is a compilation of correspondence, meeting minutes, fundraising media, newspaper articles, research notes, and sketches and blueprints. The materials within this collection represent the establishment of the committee up through the dedication of the Ukrainian Nationality Room in 1990.
Language: The language of the material in this collection is English and Ukranian.
Author: Ryan McGinnis and Julia Rossi.
Publisher: ULS Archives & Special Collections
Address: University of Pittsburgh Library System
Archives & Special Collections
Website: library.pitt.edu/archives-special-collections
Contact Us: www.library.pitt.edu/ask-archivist
URL: http://library.pitt.edu/archives-special-collections

History

The Ukrainian Nationality Room Committee was established in 1975 after several years of Pittsburgh-area Ukrainians lobbying for a nationality room at the University of Pittsburgh's Cathedral of Learning.

It should be noted that a Ukrainian Nationality Room had already been proposed in the 1930s, but the university's policy then stated that only rooms representing a nation recognized by the U.S. Department of State could be instituted. Since Ukraine was under the rule of Russia at that time, the request was denied. Eventually, under the directorship of E. Maxine Bruhns, the previous policy was amended and nations not acknowledged by the U.S. Department of State were able to form their own nationality room committees.

Dr. George Kyshakevych, Michael Komichak, Michael Korchynsky, Chester Manasterski, and Christine Kyshakevych petitioned the University of Pittsburgh formally in 1973. Within two years, the Ukrainian Nationality Room Committee was officially recognized and set out on its mission to develop and build a room representing Ukraine and its people. The Ukrainian Nationality Room Committee held many fundraisers, notably sponsoring many Pittsburgh Ukrainian festivals, concerts featuring distinguished Ukrainian performers, and a weekend radiothon during Michael Komichak's Ukrainian language hour on WPIT in 1989. The committee's efforts culminated in the dedication of the Ukrainian Nationality Classroom on June 17, 1990.

Previous Citation

Ukranian Nationality Room Committee Collection, 1973-2000, UA.40.23, University Archives, Archives Service Center, University of Pittsburgh

Preferred Citation

Ukranian Nationality Room Committee Collection, 1973-2000, UA.40.23, University Archives, Archives & Special Collections, University of Pittsburgh Library System

Scope and Content Notes

The Ukrainian Nationality Room Committee Collection is a compilation of original correspondence, committee meeting minutes and reports, printed programs and brochures, published newspaper articles, photographs, and sketches and blueprints of the Ukrainian Nationality Room. Most of the materials here were kept by Drs. George & Tatiana Kyshakevych in addition to committee members and personnel from the Nationality Rooms. Many documents and articles appearing in this collection have been annotated by Dr. George Kyshakevych, among others. The bulk of the original documents are from 1975 through 1990.

Letters requesting the official founding of a Ukrainian Nationality Committee for the University of Pittsburgh's Nationality Rooms are located in Dr. George Kyshakevych's personal correspondence. Upon the establishment of the Ukrainian Nationality Room Committee (UNRC) in 1975, regular committee meetings began, initiating the keeping of meeting minutes and reports. Various fundraisers were sponsored by the UNRC to raise funds for the proposed Ukrainian Nationality Room; some flyers, programs, and tickets are included here. Lists of contributors are also present in this collection. Materials related to the official dedication of the Ukrainian Nationality Room in 1990 include invitations and programs, as well as UNRC and Pitt's Nationality Rooms Program operations-based plans for the event. Additionally, the Pittsburgh Ukrainian Festival Committee was almost synonymous with the Ukrainian Nationality Room Committee, and many of the festival committee's documents are also housed within this collection.

The Nationality Room Program Office also possessed many documents and correspondence pertaining to the development and implementation of the Ukrainian Nationality Classroom within their internal files. This information appears in Series III.

Research notes and draft texts comprise one of the largest series in this compilation; researcher George Forys and other committee members photocopied many images from Ukrainian books and resources as inspiration for designs for the Ukrainian Nationality Room. A lengthy text by George Forys entitled "Ukrainian Nationality Classroom: Background and Description," is housed within the Research Notes series.

Many newspaper and newsletter articles have been compiled from various journals, including not only Pittsburgh-area newspapers and organizations, but national and international ones as well. These articles discuss the Ukrainian Nationality Room's progress, fundraisers, and dedication. Also included are articles on the Ukrainian community in Pittsburgh. This collection houses numerous drafts of proposed sketches and blueprints of the Ukrainian Nationality Room by Lubomyr E. Kalynych.

Within this collection, many of the materials are in the Ukrainian language. When possible, the processor has noted the date in English on the top right corner of the Ukrainian document.

Access Restrictions

No restrictions.

Acquisition Information

The materials in the Ukrainian Nationality Room Committee Collection were acquired by the Nationality Rooms program at the University of Pittsburgh from 1973 through c. 2000. They were deposited in the University Archives in May of 2012 by Maxine Bruhns.

Copyright

The University of Pittsburgh holds the property rights to the material in this collection, but the copyright may still be held by the original creator/author. Researchers are therefore advised to follow the regulations set forth in the U.S. Copyright Code when publishing, quoting, or reproducing material from this collection without the consent of the creator/author or that go beyond what is allowed by fair use.

Processing Information

This collection was processed by Julia N. Rossi from August-November 2011. Revisions relating to the encoding of the finding aid were done by Ryan McGinnis and Marianne Kasica in June 2012.

Subjects

Corporate Names

Pittsburgh Ukrainian Festival
Ukrainian Classroom (Cathedral of Learning, Pittsburgh, Pa.)
Nationality Rooms (Cathedral of Learning, Pittsburgh, Pa.)
University of Pittsburgh. Nationality Rooms Program
University of Pittsburgh. Nationality Rooms Program. Ukrainian Nationality Room Committee

Genres

Press releases
Clippings (Information artifacts)
Photographs
Correspondence

Other Subjects

Universities and colleges -- Pennsylvania -- Pittsburgh
Ethnic festivals -- Pennsylvania -- Pittsburgh
Ukrainian Americans -- Pennsylvania -- Pittsburgh
Classrooms -- Pennsylvania -- Pittsburgh
University of Pittsburgh

Container List

Series I. Personal Correspondence

Scope and Content Notes

This series contains letters addressed to and from Dr. George Kyshakevych as well as letters addressed to and from other committee members.

Subseries 1. Dr. George Kyshakevych

Scope and Content Notes

This subseries contains original letters to and from Dr. George Kyshakevych, comprising mainly the years 1973 through 1979. This subseries has been split into English- and Ukrainian-language documents. Correspondence includes letters regarding interest in founding a Ukrainian classroom in the University of Pittsburgh's Nationality Rooms and the creation of the Ukrainian Nationality Room Committee, as well as messages to prominent members of the Pittsburgh community.

Correspondence in English, 1973-1991

Containers: box 1, folder 1

Correspondence in Ukrainian, 1975-1990

Containers: box 1, folder 2

Subseries 2. Other committee members

Scope and Content Notes

This subseries holds several original letters to and from other committee members, including Tatiana Kyshakevych. These letters are in both English and Ukrainian.

Correspondence, 1974-1999

Containers: box 1, folder 3

Series II. Ukrainian Nationality Room Committee Official Correspondence

Scope and Content Notes

This series contains general correspondence, vendor correspondence, RFPs for contracts, awards and declarations, brochures, and miscellaneous material.

Subseries 1. General correspondence

Scope and Content Notes

This subseries contains general correspondence to and from the Ukrainian Nationality Room Committee from the years 1975 through 1990. Correspondence includes letters regarding the establishment of the Ukrainian Nationality Room Committee (UNRC), documentation from the University of Pittsburgh's Nationality Council, letters to the Pittsburgh Ukrainian community, and internal committee correspondence. Additionally, there are letters in Ukrainian from supporters all over the United States, and congratulatory notes on the eventual dedication of the Ukrainian Nationality Room in 1990. This subseries has been divided by language into English and Ukrainian sections.

Correspondence in English, 1975-1987

Containers: box 1, folder 4

Correspondence in English, 1988-1990

Containers: box 1, folder 5

Correspondence in Ukrainian, 1975-1990

Containers: box 1, folder 6

Subseries 2. Vendor correspondence

Scope and Content Notes

This subseries holds correspondence to and from vendors of the Ukrainian Nationality Room. This includes messages from the architects (Walter Boykowycz and Dahlen Ritchey), the designer (Lubomyr E. Kalynych), the wood craftsman (Anatoly Lendel), the copper artist (Rem Bahautdin), the ceramics artist (Natalia Kormeluk), and the lead researcher (George Forys). The information here includes letters, proposals, financial documents, architects' meeting minutes, and status reports. This subseries has been sectioned into English- and Ukrainian-language documents.

Correspondence in English, 1976-1978

Containers: box 1, folder 7

Correspondence in English, 1983-1986

Containers: box 1, folder 8

Correspondence in English, 1987

Containers: box 2, folder 1

Correspondence in English, 1988-1990

Containers: box 2, folder 2

Correspondence in Ukrainian, 1975-1990

Containers: box 2, folder 3

Subseries 3. RFPs for contracts

Scope and Content Notes

This subseries has two Requests for Proposals (RFPs) for the woodworking contract and the general contract for construction for the Ukrainian Nationality Room.

Specifications for Woodworking Contract, March 1987

Containers: box 2, folder 4

Specifications for General Contract for Construction, May 1989

Containers: box 2, folder 5

Subseries 4. Awards and declarations

Scope and Content Notes

This subseries contains a declaration of "Ukrainian National Heritage Day" from the City of Pittsburgh, an award to the UNRC from the Ukrainian Technological Society, and a plaque commemorating the declaration of "Ukrainian Renaissance Fair at the Cathedral Days," also from the City of Pittsburgh. The latter two are located in Box 15, as they are oversized documents.

City of Pittsburgh declaration, June 17, 1990

Containers: box 2, folder 6

Award from Ukrainian Technological Society, November 25, 1989

Containers: box 15, folder 1

City of Pittsburgh declaration, October 9-10, 1993

Containers: box 15, folder 2

Subseries 5. Brochures

Scope and Content Notes

This subseries holds mock-ups and print samples of brochures printed by the Ukrainian Nationality Room Committee.

UNRC brochures

Containers: box 2, folder 7

Subseries 6. Miscellaneous

Scope and Content Notes

This subseries contains miscellaneous letters, programs, news clippings, and address lists for donor solicitations from the UNRC. Some of the materials here do not directly apply to the Ukrainian Nationality Room itself, but they are of research interest and were collected by various members of the UNRC.

UNRC correspondence, miscellaneous, 1975-1993

Containers: box 2, folder 8

Series III. Nationality Rooms Program Correspondence

Scope and Content Notes

This series contains internal correspondence, external correspondence, and miscellaneous material.

Subseries 1. Internal correspondence

Scope and Content Notes

This subseries holds information created and maintained by the Nationality Rooms Program office for internal use. Early lists of Pittsburgh Ukrainians interested in founding a room in the 1930s appear here, as well as an informative running memo in the 1950s on the history of communication about the proposed Ukrainian Nationality Classroom. After the committee was officially recognized in the 1970s, the Nationality Rooms Program office began retaining information on the endeavor.

1933-1979

Containers: box 3, folder 1

1980-1991

Containers: box 3, folder 2

1996-2000

Containers: box 3, folder 3

Subseries 2. External correspondence

Scope and Content Notes

This subseries contains information both written by and sent to outside committee members, vendors, and persons interested in the Ukrainian Nationality Classroom.

1973-1978

Containers: box 3, folder 4

1980-1986

Containers: box 3, folder 5

1987-1989

Containers: box 3, folder 6

1990-1997

Containers: box 3, folder 7

1997-2002

Containers: box 4, folder 1

Subseries 3. Miscellaneous

Scope and Content Notes

This subseries houses miscellaneous reference information collected by the Nationality Rooms Program for the Ukrainian Nationality Classroom.

Miscellaneous

Containers: box 4, folder 2

Series IV. Ukrainian Nationality Room Committee Meetings

Scope and Content Notes

This series contains Articles of Association and Bylaws, meeting minutes, financial reports, official documents for nationality room committees, and miscellaneous material.

Articles of Association and Bylaws

Containers: box 4, folder 3

Scope and Content Notes

This folder holds the Articles of Association and the Bylaws of the UNRC, established on October 12, 1975.

Meeting minutes, 1975-1992

Containers: box 4, folder 4

Scope and Content Notes

This folder contains the official meeting minutes of UNRC; these include regular session, board of trustees, and special committee meetings.

Financial reports, 1975-1992

Containers: box 4, folder 5

Scope and Content Notes

This folder contains financial reports from the treasurers of the UNRC, typically presented during UNRC meetings.

Official documents for Nationality Room committees

Containers: box 4, folder 6

Scope and Content Notes

This folder holds documents of the University of Pittsburgh's Nationality Room committees; papers here include the principles governing the creation of the Nationality Rooms, bylaws of the Nationality Council, standing rules of the Nationality Room committees, and operational procedures for Nationality Room committees.

Miscellaneous

Containers: box 4, folder 7

Scope and Content Notes

This folder contains various handwritten drafts of UNRC activities, drafts of subcommittee proposals, and ideas for embellishments/decoration of the Ukrainian Nationality Room.

Series V. Fundraising media

Scope and Content Notes

This series contains flyers, programs, tickets, and postcards used for fundraising events benefiting the Ukrainian Nationality Room fund. Events included dinners, dances, and the Pittsburgh Ukrainian Festivals in addition to concerts by singers (Renata Babak, Andriy Dobriansky, Bandurist Chorus), musicians (Thomas Hrynkiw), and dance troupes (Voloshky Dance Ensemble).

UNRC Fundraising event flyers

Containers: box 4, folder 8

UNRC Fundraising event programs, 1966-1982

Containers: box 4, folder 9

UNRC Fundraising event programs, 1982-1988

Containers: box 4, folder 10

UNRC Fundraising event programs, 1989-2001

Containers: box 5, folder 1

UNRC Fundraising event tickets

Containers: box 5, folder 2

UNRC Fundraising- postcards

Containers: box 5, folder 3

UNRC Fundraising, miscellaneous

Containers: box 5, folder 4

Series VI. Contributors

Scope and Content Notes

This series holds lists of donors and donations, lists of supporters who purchased advertisement space in fundraising event programs, and letters from contributors within the Ukrainian community. Also, the template letter for thanking donors from the UNRC is included.

Contributors to the UNRC Fund

Containers: box 5, folder 5

Series VII. Ukrainian Nationality Room Dedication

Scope and Content Notes

This series contains documentation regarding the Ukrainian Nationality Room's dedication on June 17, 1990. Incorporated here are invitations, programs, and the official guidebook to the Ukrainian Nationality Classroom. The UNRC's planning and operational materials for the dedication day are also included.

Dedication Day invitations

Containers: box 5, folder 6

Ukrainian Dedication mailing list

Containers: box 5, folder 7

Dedication Day formal dedication programs (June 17, 1990)

Containers: box 5, folder 8

Dedication Day hierarchical blessing programs (June 17, 1990)

Containers: box 5, folder 9

"The Ukrainian Nationality Classroom"

Containers: box 5, folder 10

UNRC planning and operational materials

Containers: box 5, folder 11

Nationality Room Program planning and operational materials

Containers: box 5, folder 12

Dedication speeches

Containers: box 5, folder 13

Miscellaneous Dedication Day materials

Containers: box 5, folder 14

Series VIII. Research Notes

Scope and Content Notes

This series contains text drafts, copies of Uktrainian images and ornamentation, and miscellaneous research note material.

Subseries 1. Text drafts

Scope and Content Notes

This subseries comprises both dated and undated text drafts of research for the Ukrainian Nationality Room, written largely by George Forys. The drafts cover proposals for icons, floor plan notes, ornamentation ideas, and other background information for the Ukrainian Nationality Room. Additionally, text drafts on the history of Ukraine and its people comprise several folders here.

UNR Research – text drafts, 1975-1977

Containers: box 6, folder 1

UNR Research – text drafts, 1986-1988

Containers: box 6, folder 2

UNR Research – text drafts, undated

Containers: box 6, folder 3

"Ukraine: the land and its people"

Containers: box 6, folder 4

"The Ukrainian Nationality Classroom: Background and Description," c. 1

Containers: box 6, folder 5

"The Ukrainian Nationality Classroom: Background and Description," c. 2

Containers: box 6, folder 6

"The Ukrainian Nationality Classroom: Background and Description," c. 3

Containers: box 6, folder 7

Subseries 2. Copies of Ukrainian images and ornamentation

Scope and Content Notes

This subseries holds photocopies of images, icons, and ornamentation from Ukrainian books that the UNRC used for reference in the design of the Ukrainian Nationality Room. These folders have been split into English text and Ukrainian text accompanying the images.

UNR Research – copies of Ukrainian images, text in English

Containers: box 6, folder 8

UNR Research – copies of Ukrainian images, text in Ukrainian

Containers: box 6, folder 9

Ukrainian Dedication booklet draft and pictures list

Containers: box 6, folder 10

Subseries 3. Miscellaneous

Scope and Content Notes

This subseries contains additional reference material utilized by the UNRC in the design of the Ukrainian Nationality Room. The second "miscellaneous" folder holds informative booklets on Ukrainian history and traditions.

UNR Research, miscellaneous

Containers: box 6, folder 11

UNR Research, miscellaneous

Containers: box 7, folder 1

Series IX. Print media

Scope and Content Notes

This series contains newspaper articles and media releases.

Subseries 1. Newspaper articles

Scope and Content Notes

This subseries contains articles relating to the Ukrainian community in Pittsburgh as well as progress, funding, and news reports on the Ukrainian Nationality Room. This subseries has been divided by language into English and Ukrainian.

News articles in English, 1970-1985

Containers: box 7, folder 2

News articles in English, 1986-1989

Containers: box 7, folder 3

News articles in English, 1990

Containers: box 7, folder 4

News articles in English, 1991-2002

Containers: box 7, folder 5

News articles in Ukrainian, 1968-1990

Containers: box 7, folder 6

Subseries 2. Media releases

Scope and Content Notes

This subseries contains media releases produced by both the University of Pittsburgh and the UNRC regarding events sponsored by the UNRC.

Media releases, 1980-2001

Containers: box 8, folder 1

Series X. Photographs

Containers: box 8, folder 3

Scope and Content Notes

This series keeps photographs related to the UNRC. There are several photographs of artists whose performances benefited the Ukrainian Nationality Room Fund. Photographs of sketches and prints of Lubomyr Kalynych's drawings for the Ukrainian Nationality Room also appear. There is a series of photographs documenting the final touches of the woodwork, ceramic, and copper detailing to the Ukrainian Nationality Room. Finally, there are some rendering negatives utilized by the UNRC for various brochures.

Promotional photos of artists/performers

Containers: box 8, folder 2

Ukrainian Festival images

Containers: box 8, folder 3

Photos of sketches/drawings

Containers: box 8, folder 4

Photos of Ukrainian Nationality Classroom construction/assembly

Containers: box 8, folder 5

Negatives for rendering

Containers: box 8, folder 6

Series XI. Non-paper media

Scope and Content Notes

This series contains ephemera relating to the UNRC and its fundraising for the Ukrainian Nationality Room. The WPIT radiothon held on June 18 and 25, 1989 is recorded on an audio cassette tape and also a CD. This collection also has a rubber stamp utilized by the UNRC for its banking transactions. Finally, a disk labeled "Ukrainian Dedication Material" is housed in Folder 9 – the staff at the Nationality Room Program was unable to open the disk to confirm or transfer the files. [Note: A DVD of the dedication ceremony of the Ukrainian Nationality Room on June 17, 1990 is housed at the Nationality Room Program office in the Cathedral of Learning.]

Audio recordings of WPIT Radiothon, June 18 and 25, 1989

Containers: box 8, folder 7

UNRC financial transactions, rubber stamp

Containers: box 8, folder 8

Disk, "Ukrainian Dedication Material"

Containers: box 8, folder 9

Series XI. Sketches and Blueprints

Scope and Content Notes

This series contains both originals and photocopies of draft sketches and blueprints for the Ukrainian Nationality Room. The majority of these were drawn by Lubomyr Kalynych, with a few sketches included from researcher George Forys. Another oversized flat box (Box 10) houses a 24"x 18" matted colored drawing of the proposed Ukrainian Nationality Classroom. Oversized blueprints of this series are maintained in triangular roll storage boxes (Boxes 11-14).

UNR Sketches, 1947-1978

Containers: box 9, folder 1

UNR Sketches, 1983-1990

Containers: box 9, folder 2

UNR Sketches, undated

Containers: box 9, folder 3

Ukrainian Nationality Classroom colored sketch (ink and pencil), c. 1978

Containers: box 10, folder 1

Folded flat sketches of Ukrainian Nationality Room [seven bound sheets], undated

Containers: box 10, folder 2

Rolled blueprints of Ukrainian Nationality Room [five sheets], c. 1976

Containers: box 11, folder 1

Rolled sketch of Ukrainian Nationality Room [one sheet], c. 1978

Containers: box 12, folder 1

Rolled blueprints of Ukrainian Nationality Room [twelve sheets], c. 1976-1978

Containers: box 13, folder 1

Rolled blueprints of Ukrainian Nationality Room [eleven sheets], undated

Containers: box 14, folder 1

Guide to the Ukrainian Nationality Room Committee Collection, 1973-2000 UA.40.23

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