This history of Ukrainian immigrants in Michigan and their American descendants examines both the choices people made and the social forces that impelled their decisions to migrate and to make new homes in the state. Michigan’s Ukrainians came in four waves, each unique in time and character, beginning in the late nineteenth century and continuing in the twenty-first. Detroit attracted many of them with the opportunities it offered in its booming automobile industry. Yet others put down roots in cities and towns across the state. Wherever they settled, they established churches and community centers and continued to practice the customs of their homeland. Many Ukrainian Americans have made significant contributions to Michigan and the United States, including those who are showcased in this book. This comprehensive text also highlights cultural practices and traditional foods cherished by community members.

Paul M. Hedeen is an award-winning professor and writer and a 2008 Fulbright scholar. His writing has appeared in numerous publications including the North American Review, Confrontation Magazine, Rosebud, Philosophy and Literature. His recent books include The Butterfly (2019) and Under a Night Sky (2016). He lives in Monroe, Michigan, with his wife Maryna and daughters Marta and Nina.
 
Maryna Hedeen grew up in Vinnytsia, Ukraine. A student researcher in applied linguistics and pedagogical techniques, she graduated from Vinnytsia State Pedagogical University, earning specialist’s and bachelor’s degrees in Ukrainian and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL). In 2009, she came to the United States through the Fulbright Program to earn a master’s degree in TESOL/Applied Linguistics at the University of Northern Iowa. She moved to Michigan in 2014 where she lives with her family.