The character of Taras Shevchenko in the periodicals of the Sumy region in the 1950s and 1980s

Abstract

Introduction. Publicistic discourse of the second half of the XX century is a valuable source base for studying social-communicative practices in the subject of history and local lore. Despite the considerable attention to the mentioned issue, publications on local lore literature in local newspapers remain understudied.
Relevance and aim. The relevance of the research is defined by the need to study social-communicative practices of newspaper materials dealing with history and local lore. The aim is to study the influence of local lore materials about T. Shevchenko issued in the 1950s – 1980s in Sumy region newspapers, on the mass audience in terms of its socialization.
Methods. The following general scientific methods have been used: actualistic, descriptive, historical and biographical methods, as well as analysis, content analysis and others. The general scientific method of selection and systematization of materials has also been applied. The biographical method has made it possible to reconstruct the main stages of life and creative activity of Sumy region local lore specialists who wrote about T. Shevchenko.
Results. Materials about the life and creative activity of T. Shevchenko have been studied and grouped by the subject in order to analyze the poet’s image in Sumy region periodicals in the 1950s–1980s. Newspapers «Leninska pravda», «Maiak komunizmu», «Radianskyi prapor» issued in 1950–1989 have been characterized. Over eleven thousand issues of the mentioned periodicals have been studied. Three hundred fifty publications of different genres about the life and creative activity of T. Shevchenko have been identified, described and analyzed. It should be emphasized that anniversary years (1964 and 1989) saw a significant increase in the attention to T. Shevchenko. For example, in 1964 (150th birth anniversary) a total of sixty five materials were published in «Leninska pravda»; in 1989 (175th birth anniversary) – forty one materials.
Conclusions. The majority of materials are those about mass cultural events devoted to the Great Kobzar (102) and those aimed at honoring his memory (71). A significant number of publications is devoted to the life and creative activity (49) as well as the role of T. Shevchenko in the work of Sumy region artists (41). Less attention is given to his stay in the Sumy region (38) and his relations with the region’s natives (29). The smallest number of materials is devoted to Shevchenko in the life of Sumy residents (20). The mentioned publications were prepared by 131 authors: writers, journalists, worker-peasant correspondents, young correspondents, local lore specialists, teachers, historians, museum workers, art experts, artists, amateur photographers and others.