Aquixoticfigure,VasileAvramenko(1895-1981)usedfolkcultureandmodernmediainalife-longcrusadetopromoteUkraine’sstruggleforindependencetoNorthAmericanaudiences.FromhisbaseinNewYorkCity,hebuiltanetworkoffolkdanceschoolsandproducedmusicalspectaclestohelpUkrainianimmigrantssustaintheiridentity.Hisfeature-lengthUkrainianlanguagefilmsmadeinthe1930swithHollywooddirectorEdgarG.Ulmer,the“kingofethnicandBmovies,“wereshownthroughoutNorthAmerica.OrestT.Martynowych’sTheShowmanandtheUkrainianCauseisafascinatingportraithowculturecanbecomeapoliticaltoolinadiasporacommunity.
