Taras Shevchenko Monument

"The world is not without good people and not without evil ones. Otherwise, how would we know which ones are good. -Taras Shevchenko (1814-1861) On a traffic island near the Tipperary Hill neighborhood, this statue commemorates a hero of Ukraine. Larger than life size, he stands on a stone base that is about three feet tall. The engraving at his feet reads, "Taras Shevchenko, bard of freedom, Ukrainian poet and artist born a serf and orphaned early passed a wretched childhood in the service of a brutal sexton. He was apprenticed to Icon and Mural painters until he was bought and freed in 1838 by a group of intellectuals who recognized his talent. Shevchenko became a prominent Realist painter. While his Ukrainian ballads were being published he joined a Ukrainian nationalist society writing bitterly against serfdom and Russian autocracy. It was his poetry that inspired the Ukrainian movement for independence in 1917 and encouraged forces within Soviet Union to continue their struggle for freedom. Banished to an appalling military existence in Central Asia for his Liberal ideas, he wrote exquisite lyric poetry and numerous novels in exile (1847-1857). Dogged by terrible misfortune in life, the poet died seven days before the emancipation of serfs was announced." There is a second plaque, "I am pleased to add my voice to those honoring the great Ukrainian poet Taras Shevchenko. We honor him for his rich contribution to the culture not only of Ukraine, which he loved to well and described so eloquently, but of the world. His work is a noble part of our historical heritage. John F. Kennedy""

"A new author's view of the image of Taras Shevchenko"

"Beautiful monument to a great Ukrainian poet and national hero."

"Impressive monument, and great to see it here"

"The monument was built with the funds of the branch of the Ukrainian Federal Credit Union in Rochester, which provides financial support to Ukrainian churches, schools and sports organizations of the Ukrainian community. The idea of ​​erecting the monument, which was erected near the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Church of St. John, belonged to a local businessman of Irish origin, Peter Coleman, who received the title of "Honorary Ukrainian" for his initiative. A special committee was created by the leaders of the local Ukrainian community for the construction of the monument, which invited the American sculptor from New York, Dexter Benedict, to participate in the project."