LAWRENCE, Kan. (University of Kansas)—The Robert and Elizabeth Dole Archive and Special Collections at the Dole Institute of Politics has announced the recipients of two grants related to the Armenian Genocide of 1915-1917.
The institute has awarded an archival fellowship to author Michael Bobelian and a travel grant to Professor Julien Zarifian.
Bobelian is an award-winning author, lawyer, journalist and the institute’s Archival Fellow for Armenian Advocacy. His book “Children of Armenia: A Forgotten Genocide and the Century-Long Struggle for Justice” (Simon & Schuster, 2009) is the seminal work on the aftermath of the Armenian Genocide.
As the Archival Fellow, Bobelian will work with Dole Archives staff to create a web-based learning module with primary sources documenting the U.S. response to the World War I-era Armenian Genocide and former U.S. Sen. Bob Dole’s advocacy on behalf of Armenians and Armenian Americans.
Bobelian will give a public lecture titled “America and the Armenian Genocide” at 3 p.m. Feb. 15. The talk will be held in Simons Media Room at the institute.
The recipient of a Dole Archives travel grant is Zarifian, associate professor in American history at the University of Cergy-Pontoise in France. This academic year, he is a Fulbright Scholar with the University of Southern California Shoah Foundation Center for Advanced Genocide Research. His research interests include U.S. foreign policies in Eurasia, the role of ethnic groups in U.S. politics and the importance of memory issues in U.S. political life.
His current and primary research project is titled “The U.S. and the Question of the Armenian Genocide, from 1915 to the Present.”
The KU World War I Centennial Committee and the Max Kade Center for German-American Studies at KU are co-sponsors of the program and the fellowships.
Gravely wounded in the mountains of Italy during World War II, Bob Dole credits his physical and mental recovery largely to Dr. Hampar Kelikian. Dr. Kelikian was an Armenian surgeon who lost family members to the Armenian Genocide before fleeing to the U.S. As a soldier, citizen and U.S. senator, Dole has been a champion for Armenia, a role that includes seeking official U.S. recognition of the 1915-1916 Armenian Genocide. During the Centennial Commemoration of WWI, both the history of Armenian Genocide and Dole’s advocacy for its recognition can inform our responses to contemporary crises.
The Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics is dedicated to promoting political and civic participation as well as civil discourse in a bipartisan, philosophically balanced manner. It is located in KU’s West District and houses the Dole Archive and Special Collections. Through its robust public programming, congressional archive and museum, the Dole Institute strives to celebrate public service and the legacies of U.S. Senators Bob Dole and Elizabeth Dole.
Senator Bob Dole* and the Armenian orthopedic Surgeon,
Dr. Hampar Kelikian, an orphan from Armenian Genocide
Kelikian operated on Senator Bob Dole, who was a soldier wounded in Italy,
He restored the use of Mr. Dole’s arm by transplanting leg bone and muscle to the limb.
Dole, with deformed Right Hand
Yet his glial cells full of sparks,
His rich smile, tells each of us
How his powerful cardiocytes act toward life
For minorities who need his care.
Bob recognized Armenian Genocide
Without any fear from Turkish scimitars.
But … did that help for Congress to act faithfully
Deleting some Armenian scars from their heart valves?
(C) Sylva Portoian, MD
This verse will be in my historical poetry book,
“Bring Out Our Genocided Skulls & Artful Hand”(April 2018)
published in Yerevan, Armenia.