Ukrainian Free Society of America

Ukrainian Free Society of America (Українська вільна громада Америки; Ukrainska vilna hromada Ameryky, or УВГА; UVHA). An ideological organization in the United States of America set up in 1949 by those members of the Oborona Ukrainy society who rejected a pro-Soviet policy and remained committed to Ukraine’s independence. In the 1950s some socialists among the new immigrants joined the society. The UVHA published the journal Vil’na Ukraïna (United States) (1954–70s, edited by Volodymyr Lysy) on an irregular basis, Ivan Makukh’s valuable memoirs Na narodnii sluzhbi (In the People’s Service, 1958), and the Politychno-naukova biblioteka (Political Science Library), a book series of over 30 works in 19 issues. In the 1970s the society dissipated. Its presidents included V. Dovhan, V. Lazechko, and Ivan Palyvoda. The group had close ideological ties with the Ukrainian Workers’ League in Canada.

[This article originally appeared in the Encyclopedia of Ukraine, vol. 5 (1993).]