June is Immigrant Heritage Month. Throughout the month, we’ll be celebrating both our diversity and our shared American heritage by telling the stories of individuals that, together, comprise a uniquely American narrative.
Lee Kreimer
This spring, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln had the honor of hosting a convening of authors, playwrights, engineers, and academics from Czech Republic who live and breathe the impact of the Prague Spring in 1968 and the effects it had on the decades following.
With one of the largest populations of Czech Americans in the United States and a strong tradition of celebrating Czech culture — from kolaches for sale at farmers markets, summer Czech festivals across the state, polka music playing in restaurants and meeting halls, and the strong Czech language and culture program at UNL — Nebraska is a logical home for this unique event. As a descendent of Czech immigrants myself, I’m not surprised. My family’s story and our state history shows a long tradition of welcoming refugees and immigrants that has existed for generations. In 2016, Nebraska continued that tradition by welcoming the largest number of refugees per capita in the U.S.
The Prague Spring 50 event posed a rich opportunity for presenters, the University, and the larger community to discuss the impact of the uprising of Prague Spring and its longstanding after effects – the invasion of Czechoslovakia, and 20 years later, the social movement led by Vaclav Havel that led to freedom from totalitarianism. For his work and leadership, Havel remains a human rights hero around the world.
Attending this event was an important reminder for me about the importance of history. Not only is it important for us to learn from our past, but it’s equally important for us to recognize where we came from.
Czech Republic has a long history of human rights achievements. I am proud and intrigued to be a descendent of a country that has demonstrated strength in so many ways. At the same time, I’m equally proud to be the daughter of my parents and the granddaughter of my grandparents, farmers in Central Nebraska and Czech Americans.
It’s incredible to live in a place with such a rich variety of cultures, stories, languages, and experiences. Cultural events such as the Prague Spring 50 that celebrate the diverse history and background of Nebraska are one of the many reasons why I’m happy to call Nebraska home.