December 8th. The celebration of the 77th anniversary of Pushkin Society in America took place in Mid-Manhattan library. The program included a story about new archive discoveries, meeting with famous people, demonstration of the movie dedicated to Churaevka, musical compositiones presented by Igor Lebedinsky, presentation of Elena Rodina’s (El Earthbourne) project “Theatre and Immigration – 21 Century”.

The General Consulate of Russian Federation has supported us. The Consul of Cultural Affairs Lyudmila Pirozhnikova participated in our work.

September 13th. Al Earthbourne, Director of Literature and Art and Irene Caesar discussing Russian culture with Alain Timberlake as a moderator during the open Exhibit: Irene Caesar: Anthropretation, at Harriman Institute of Columbia University.

June 26th. There was a working visit to Тolstoy farm by employees of our archive center, Inna Grubmajr and Natalia Mizuri, to meet an executive director of the Tolstoy fund, Victoria Uolsen. During this meeting questions of mutual cooperation and information support were discussed. Victoria has kindly shown the farm, told of its history and has shared plans for its future.

Antonina Bulavko
Antonina Bulavko

June 22nd. Inna Grubmair, executive director of the archive center, visited in Novo-Diveevo an elder of the Pushkin society, Antonina Bulavko. During 30 years (up to 2007) she actively participated in all events that took place in the assembly hall of the Synod and Kolping House. Antonina independently pursued all subjects on the organizational menu. After that Inna Grubmajr has visited tombs of chairmen of a society of Mesniaev, Bogolyubov, Voitsekhovsky, based a cemetery in Novo-Diveevo .       

June 18th. The heads of the Pushkin Society and the Russian house "Rodina" took part in a contract signing in the city of Houell, New Jersey. The society "Rodina" which is headed now by Alexander Bondarev, has rich history regarding emigration. The private residence which opened its doors in 1954, has in it a fine assembly hall, rooms for gathering  and a museum, all arranged by the organizations artistic director, Vsevolod Steletsky. Museums works have been donated by active participants such as, baron Taube, known pilot Sergievsky and prince Beloselskij-Belozersky, a well known member of the Pushkin Society. The museum collections are joining one by one with other emigrant museums: Nikolaev cavalerymen schools from Paris, gentlemen-at-arm Sеmiеnovоsky, Izmailovskt and Pavlovsky regiment, Russian cavalery, Konstantinovsky of artillery school, Marine association and private archives. As of 1994-95 the museum numbered nearly 40 thousand storage units of historical materials, under the decision of the society "Rodina"  management, it has almost been completely passed to Russia. However some exhibits have remained. Today again, even with the restored museum interiors, there are problems filling the museums full historial value. Victoria Kurchenko has presented for museum collection one copy of a 1937 Pushkin anniversary celebration badge, devoted to the memory of the poet.

June 17th.  The " Theatre - 21 century " project which was presented by Elena Rodina took place in Churaevka. At the Sergey Radonezhsky church walls, future goals of the Russian-speaking centers in America were outlined  under the guidance of the consul of New York Andrey Gromov and the president of the "Sunflower" society Marina Terenteva and technical director of Poetfest Edward Schogolev. Victoria Kurchenko who was familiar with Churaevka settlement history, has intensely read archival documents in which N.K.Roerich and G.D.Grebenshchikov discussed upcoming plans, having already named them " the World through culture ". The name still remains today. Thus, giving merit to the new prospect of this historical seat in the history of Russian emigration was built in the USA. On this basis, Andrey Gromov has suggested of Churaevka to organize an international center for the purpose of supporting the UNESCO. Our study group was welcomed by a local resident Mieke Krider. With her help it was possible to inspect the rests of the Rakhmaninov country house, Tolstoy house and Grebenshchikov house.

June 9th. Victoria Kurchenko and Boris Borukaev organized a master-class poetic festival for Alexander Gorodnitskij titled "Dark Blue Trolley Bus". Since 2007 the festival has taken place in the picturesque Poconos set  in the "Delaware Water Gap" campground. Participants of the festival and master-class organizers Boris Borukaev and Victoria Kurchenko, gave an interview to  channel RTN TV correspondents and suggested as representatives of the organization the development of a financial backing program - "Bard Heritage of the Last Epoch" which would be operated by the Pushkin Society.


Alexander Bondarev
Alexander Bondarev

June 8th. In the Russian House "Rodina" (New Jersey) the birthday of Alexander Pushkin was remembered before a group of spectators including translator Dzhulian Louefeld and actor Peter Fon Berg, as well as members of our command. Др. Inna Grubmajr's message was on the history of the Pushkin society, today's work of the Cultural Archive Center and  especially on current projects that have stopped. Natalia Mizuri shared archive secrets of the work of the Pushkin committee (1935-37), as well as presented the detailed project "Tell the Emigrant History". Olga Shevchenko read Pushkin's poem "Prophet", then told about our organized visits to the Russian village Churaevka and about how writer Grebenshikov lived there and participated in work of the Pushkin society.

May 31st. The Pushkin Society  hosted a round table that took place in the Manhattan College of Democracy on - plans, problems and prospects of teaching and studying  Russian language in the states of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. The forum has been supported by the Russian Federation Consulate city of New York. The project to create an English-Russian bilingual problems College has been approved with the primary goal to maintain Russian language and culture in an environment of speaking another language. Conservation of the A.S.Pushkin society heritage in America, as well as poetic traditions, bard songs and festival movements become key items of interaction in the long term cooperation.

May 26th. In Houell, New Jersey, the solemn opening of Russian House "Rodina" featuring a carved A.S.Pushkin's bust by sculptor Michael Zvyagin took place. There were representatives from ORYR, the Cossacks, the clergy, and even the "Fellowship" biker club from Brooklyn, as well as some official and private individuals from the Russian and Ukrainian diasporas.

At the end of the solemn speeches, organizers and guests moved to the "Park of Glory" to the A.S. Pushkin's bust by Mikhail Zvyagin that was still covered with white linen . The honor of unveiling the monument was rightfully given to the sculptor, who pulled off the canvas and presented his creation to the audience.

Then all were invited to the house where they could see the wonderful exhibition of photographs of the royal family, the Viacheslav Motsardo collection "Images of a bygone era" and a photo exhibition "Faces of immigration". Also they could visit the art gallery "Artists of the Russian emigration," and the museum of Russian history's special exhibition of "The old Cossack."

March 6th. The president of the Pushkin society and director of the Victoria Kurchenko, Director of Europe international communications Inna.Grubmair and vice-president Natalia Mizuri participated in a conference on  "Renewed interest in support of the propagation of democracy and human rights in the post communist world" at the «Harmon» college of Colombia University.


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Оur Society is 89 years old!

 Presidents of the Pushkin Society

1. Boris Brasol, founder    (1935 -1963)

2. Gregory Mesniaeff        (1963 -1967)

3. Semen Bogolubov         (1967 -1971)

4. Serge Woyciechowski   (1971 - 1973)

5. N. Baklanova-Bozhak   (1973 - 1995)   6. Catherine Lodyjensky   (1995 - 2009)

7. Victoria Kurchenko    (2009 - present)