The city of Sumy hosted the presentation of the second volume of the scholarly documentary edition Dissent in the Sumy Region. A Collection of Documents and Materials (1955–1990). The publication is part of a series of academic documentary studies devoted to the history of protest sentiments and manifestations of dissent against the communist authoritarian regime in the Sumy region during the second half of the twentieth century.
The compilers of the book are Viacheslav Artiukh, Hennadii Ivanushchenko, and Volodymyr Sadivnychyi. One of the reviewers of the edition is Serhii Dehtiarov, Doctor of Historical Sciences, Professor, and Head of the Department of History at Sumy State University.
The book presents various forms of dissent, including open resistance and everyday dissatisfaction, political anecdotes, letters to the authorities, inscriptions, the existence of religious communities, and informal youth movements. Particular attention is paid to the struggle for the Ukrainian language, pressure on culture, and the persecution of artists and cultural figures.
The authors emphasize that many of the individuals featured in the book were ordinary people raised within the system who nevertheless sought to preserve their identity, personal views, and the right to think differently. This coexistence of life within the system and resistance to it constitutes one of the central themes of the publication.
The book is especially relevant in the context of the ongoing war. It helps to understand the origins of repression, fear, and propaganda, and highlights why the history of the Sumy region should not be underestimated in the process of shaping Ukraine’s independence.
The collection will be distributed to libraries and educational institutions, ensuring broad access to these unique materials that preserve the memory of events, individuals, and significant chapters in the history of the Sumy region.
More details: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74KRCWq91I4