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ICONS OF BELARUS

What is Belarus, and why should the lives and rights of its people command global attention?

demonstration, protest

Belarusians Who Contributed to the Independence and Development of the USA

​Throughout history, Belarusians have played an important role in the formation and development of the United States of America. They fought for independence, made significant contributions to science, culture, the economy, and other areas, leaving an indelible mark on the country's history.

This section is dedicated to the memory and achievements of outstanding Belarusians whose names deserve recognition:

  • Participants in the Fight for U.S. Independence: Individuals whose courage and dedication to the ideals of freedom helped shape the United States.

  • Contributions to Science and Technology: Belarusians whose discoveries and innovations changed the world.

  • Culture and Arts: Talents who enriched America’s cultural heritage.

  • Public Service and Civic Engagement: Belarusians who played key roles in the development of American society.

We take pride in their achievements and hope their example will inspire future generations to strive for great deeds and high goals.

If you know of Belarusians whose names deserve to be mentioned in this section, please contact us—their stories deserve to be heard.

United Spirit, Great Heritage: Icons of the USA with Belarusian Roots

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Thaddeus  Kosciuszko

 (1746–1817) was a Brigadier General of the United States Army and a hero of the American Revolution. Born in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth (modern-day Belarus), he played a key role in the war for independence. Revered in both the United States and Belarus, he remains a symbol of resistance and justice.

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Isaac Asimov

Isaac Asimov was an American writer, biochemist, and one of the greatest science fiction authors. He was born in 1920 to a Jewish family from Belarus. Asimov became famous for his Three Laws of Robotics and the Foundation series, significantly influencing science fiction and the development of ideas about the future of technology and artificial intelligence.

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Simon Kuznets

(1901 –1985) was a Belarusian-born American economist and statistician who received the 1971 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences "for his empirically founded interpretation of economic growth which has led to new and deepened insight into the economic and social structure and process of development."

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Paul Baran

(1926–2011) was an American engineer and Internet pioneer born in Grodno, Belarus. In the 1960s, he developed packet-switched data transmission, the foundation of modern networks, Internet. Baran played a key role in advancing digital communication and secure data transmission.

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Barys Kit

(1910-2018) was a Belarusian-American scientist, mathematician, and rocket engineer. He was born in 1910 and grew up in Belarus. Kit made significant contributions to space technology, particularly in the use of liquid hydrogen as rocket fuel, which played a key role in the Apollo program. He was a Distinguished Professor at the University of Maryland, College Park.

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David Sarnoff

(1981-1971) originally from Belarus, a pioneer of radio and  telecommunications, David Sarnoff was the longtime president of RCA and founder of NBC, shaping modern broadcast media.

In 1926, he established NBC, the first commercial radio network, and in 1939, introduced regular television broadcasting in the U.S. He played a key role in developing color television. 

We will continue to expand this list of icons as opportunities arise. This is not a comprehensive list—we have highlighted only a small portion of Belarusians and have not included celebrities whose parents were born in Belarus. If you or a famous individual has Jewish heritage from Eastern Europe, there is a high likelihood they have roots in Belarus.

 

Belarusians are not barbarians or aliens. They are your neighbors, colleagues, scientists, filmmakers, and business leaders, who have made significant contributions to the development of the United States and continue to work every day for the greatness of our beloved America.

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P

  • Binyomin Paler

  • Max Palevsky

  • John Paley

  • Bruce Paltrow

  • Gwyneth Paltrow

  • Jake Paltrow

  • Jan Peerce

  • Clara Peller

  • Martin Lewis Perl

  • Solly Pernick

  • Aihud Pevsner

  • Paul Israel Pickman

  • David Pinski

  • Lanny Poffo

  • Moshe Aharon Poleyeff

  • Sylvia Pressler

  • Sol Price

  • Q

  • Quadeca

  • R

  • Jacob S. Raisin

  • Sarah Reisen

  • Avrom Reyzen

  • Trina Robbins

  • Harry Rogoff

  • Esther Rolick

  • Leon Root

  • Manuel Rosenberg

  • A. M. Rosenthal

  • Andrew Rosenthal

  • Barney Ross

  • Paul Rudd

  • Jacob Rutstein

  • S

  • Jonas Salk

  • Sheryl Sandberg

  • Robert Sarnoff

  • Randy Savage

  • Nahum Meir Schaikewitz

  • Joseph Schlossberg

  • Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn

  • Chaya Mushka Schneerson

  • Peninnah Schram

  • Martin E. Segal

  • L. William Seidman

  • Irene Mayer Selznick

  • Jeffrey Shallit

  • Joseph Shallit

  • Allison Shearmur

  • Arlene Shechet

  • Leonard Shengold

  • Izya Shlosberg

  • Harry Shulman

  • Martha Rose Shulman

  • Max Shulman

  • Yury Shulman

  • Harry Simmons (baseball)

  • Solomon Simon

  • Joel Slonim

  • Elissa Slotkin

  • Joseph Smagorinsky

  • Paul Solman

  • Linda Solomon

  • Moshe Soloveichik

  • Joseph B. Soloveitchik

  • Ben Sonnenberg

  • Edward Sperling

  • David B. Steinman

  • Jon Stewart

  • Ary Stillman

  • Sara Szweber

  • T

  • Rachel Talalay

  • Sandra Schwartz Tangri

  • Tiny Tim (musician)

  • Mel Tormé

  • Tracy Tormé

  • Jennie Tourel

  • Yosef Tunkel

  • V

  • Gary Vaynerchuk

  • Immanuel Velikovsky

  • Isabelle Vengerova

  • W

  • Marvin Wachman

  • Robert Wartenberg

  • Meyer Waxman

  • Myrna Williams (politician)

  • Herman Wouk

  • Victor Wouk

  • Y

  • Herman Yablokoff

  • Cyrus Yavneh

  • Z

  • Oscar Zariski

  • Max Zaritsky

  • Michelle Zauner

  • Aaron Zeitlin

  • Boris Zeldovich

  • Israel Joseph Zevin

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