Shevchenko Monument, Washington
A monument to the Kobzar a few blocks from the White House.
The monument for the 150th anniversary of Shevchenko's birth was initiated by a committee headed by Roman Smal-Stotsky, Yurii Shevelov and Lev Dobriansky. In 1960 Congress approved the project and President Eisenhower signed Law 86-749; the USSR embassy sent protests to Congress. The foundation was laid on 21 September 1963, and on 27 June 1964 the monument was unveiled by former President Eisenhower. The bronze figure on granite is the work of Leonid Molodozhanyn (Leo Mol), the architect was Radoslav Zhuk; beside it is a granite slab with a relief of a man breaking his shackles. About 250 thousand dollars were donated by more than 50 thousand Americans, mostly of Ukrainian descent. According to Ukrinform, more than 100 thousand people came to the unveiling; according to DC Memorialist, the celebrations drew more than 36 thousand. Later the square in front of the monument became a place of protests against the policies of the USSR, and in 2023 the Embassy of Ukraine announced a march here from the White House for Independence Day.
Stands in the small triangular park at the corner of 22nd and P Street NW. In spring 2026 the memorial was restored (the fencing went up in early March — PoPville, 06.03.2026), and the restored monument was ceremonially unveiled (Ukrinform, 20.05.2026); access is free.