Diaspora

by Elena Bradūnas-Aglinskas In 1972 I embarked on a documentary expedition to the anthracite region of eastern Pennsylvania to see if the Lithuanian immigrants who came to America at the turn of the 19th–20th century remembered any songs from the “old country.” I focused primarily on the town of Shenandoah, …

Lukrecijus Tubys This summer, heritage conservationist and cultural explorer Vilius Žalpys led another group of young Lithuanians on the fourth annual “Roots” (Šaknys) expedition, aimed at restoring abandoned graves of Lithuanian immigrants and uncovering the stories of their ancestors. The group traveled to Pennsylvania’s Anthracite region, known for its historic …

Liepa Boberienė. Few moments in history capture the essence of human determination and solidarity as vividly as the Baltic Way. On August 23, 1989, this momentous event not only hastened the demise of our Soviet occupiers but also sparked a worldwide movement for freedom. It serves to this day as …

Julius (Jay) Sakas. In the early hours of July 15, 1933, a heavily laden airplane, the Bellanca 300 christened the Lituanica, lifted off from Floyd Bennett Field in New York City. Two Lithuanian aviators had just taken to the air in pursuit of their dream. Steponas Darius and Stasys Girėnas …

The most ambitious internet project documenting Lithuanian American heritage sites is nearing completion. The dynamic duo of Augustinas and Aistė Žemaitis, known as the “Destination Lithuanian America” team, have created an interactive online map and encyclopedia showcasing Lithuanian heritage sites in North America. They have been exploring the U.S. and …

Laima Vincė. When I was growing up in the 1970’s and 1980’s, our family made a yearly summer pilgrimage to the St. Anthony’s Guest House on the Franciscan monastery grounds. My mother recalls spending her summers here in the 1950s and 1960s. Back then, we would hear Lithuanian spoken on …

Interviewed by Gailė Vitas, Lithuanian Research Center, Musicology Archive Last summer and for the past two months I have had the pleasure of working with Yusuke Ishii. He is Japanese, studying music in Lithuania. He speaks Lithuanian fluently. In addition to his academic work, Ishii has won various prizes in …

Juozas Skirius. Each summer, we recall the tragic fate of Steponas Darius and Stasys Girėnas, the two Lithuanian airmen who attempted a pioneering flight across the Atlantic. This event was widely covered by the media of its day and deeply impacted the Lithuanian community on both sides of the Atlantic. …

On May 23, the Lithuanian Jesuit Fathers signed over ownership of the Lithuanian Youth Center to Chicago’s Lithuanian community. The center is a large complex located in Chicago’s Gage Park neighborhood. It has been the epicenter of Lithuanian cultural activity for over a half-century. The new owner, Lithuanian Center, Inc., …

Victor Nakas. As Ronald Reagan was halfway through his second term in the White House, his vice president was making plans to succeed him. Unlike Reagan, who excelled at communicating with the public, George H. W. Bush was being faulted for a dearth of vision — the ability to communicate …