The National Captive Nations Committee is a Washington, D.C.-based anti-Communism advocacy group created in 1959 by Public Law 86-90 under President Dwight D. Eisenhower. PL 86-90 compels every President of the United States to proclaim the third week of July of each year as Captive Nations Week, as commemoration to the "captive nations" (those with Communist governments). The NCNC is a watershed organization which acts as a coordinator for smaller, localized organizations including the Americans for the Freedom of Captive Nations of Los Angeles, California and the Washington Captive Nations Committee of Washington, D.C.. The NCNC distributes publications throughout the year but their peak activity is in July during the observance of Captive Nations Week.
Dr. Lev E. Dobriansky (1918-2008), a professor of Economics at Georgetown University, was the chairman of the NCNC, having written the Captive Nations Week Resolution which became PL 86-90 and gave rise to the committee. Born in New York City to Ukrainian immigrant parents, he was also the president of the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America (UCCA) and very active in Ukrainian independence. He contributed to the Shevchenko Monument Resolution, leading to the erection of a statue for the 19th century Ukrainian freedom fighter in Washington, D.C.. He had years of correspondence with Dr. Ku Cheng-kang, honorary chairman of the World Anti-Communist League (WACL). Dobriansky was also affiliated with the American Council for World Freedom (ACWF) and a number of other anti-Communist (particularly anti-Soviet) organizations and activists. Dobriansky was appointed Ambassador to the Bahamas between 1982 and 1986 by President Reagan. He retired from Georgetown in 1987.
From the guide to the National Captive Nations Committee Collection, 1960-1982, (Special Collections Research Center, Syracuse University Libraries)
