May 24, 1940, is a historic date in the history of the Ukrainian community in the United States. On that day, on the initiative of the four Ukrainian fraternal benefit societies – the Ukrainian National Association, Ukrainian Workingmen’s Association, Providence Association of Ukrainian Catholics and Ukrainian National Aid Association – 805 delegates from 1,425 organizations, large and small, met in Washington to establish a broadly based representation of Ukrainian Americans. The Ukrainian Congress Committee of America was born. Svoboda’s editorial commented: “The Ukrainian community in America …passed an exam of its political maturity. It manifested its relationship to America, the American government and its policies, as well as to the ideals that are the foundation of order in this country. Similarly, the community demonstrated its relationship to Ukraine and to the Ukrainian nation in Europe.”