Monument and bust honoring Homer Hulbert unveiled in his Vermont hometown
Version 2: A third outlet, Seoul Economic Daily, has now reported the same details of the Vermont unveiling, corroborating the monument's dimensions, the donated bust by sculptor Kwon Chi-kyu and the Vermont senator's plan for a commemorative day; no facts were disputed and no new developments were reported.
In short
A monument and bronze bust honoring Homer Hulbert (1863–1949), the American missionary and educator who worked for Korea's independence, were unveiled on Oct 3 at Village Green in New Haven, Vermont, the Hulbert Memorial Association said. About 120 people attended, including six of Hulbert's descendants and Vermont state legislators. Vermont state Senator Ruth Hardy said she would push for a “Hulbert-Korea Day” resolution and backed a proposal to designate the monument a state historic marker.
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A monument and bronze bust honoring Homer Hulbert (1863–1949), the American missionary and educator who worked for Korea's independence, were unveiled at Village Green in New Haven, Vermont, on Oct 3, which was National Foundation Day, the Hulbert Memorial Association said. Yonhap reported that about 120 people attended, including six of Hulbert's descendants led by great-grandson Kimball Hulbert. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
The monument consists of two sections 2 m high and 1.1 m wide, with separate English and Korean inscriptions, Dong-A Ilbo reported. Yonhap said the front describes Hulbert as a “benefactor of the Korean people” and the “pride of America” and as “a symbol of human dignity,” and carries his words and achievements. The bronze bust is 1.8 m tall including its base and was made by sculptor Kwon Chi-kyu as a donation of his skills, Yonhap reported. The stone is from Vermont, while the inscriptions and the bust were produced in Korea and shipped to the United States. Dong-A Ilbo reported the memorial stands about 100 m from Hulbert's birthplace and about 70 m from the present church. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
The site, Village Green, is the former location of the New Haven Congregational Church, which Hulbert attended as a child and where his father served as the second pastor. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Among those at the ceremony, Yonhap reported, were association chairman Kim Dong-jin, Boston consulate deputy consul general Kwak Jung-yeol, Vermont Korean association president Ko In-su, Vermont state Senator Ruth Hardy, state Representative Jubilee McGill and New Haven city representative John Rollu. Dong-A Ilbo quoted Hardy as saying Vermont should learn Hulbert's spirit and let young people around the world emulate his life. Yonhap reported that Kim said Korea had no symbol of gratitude to Hulbert, his hometown or the United States that sent him, and that he felt “a small debt repaid.” Hardy said she would pursue submitting a “Hulbert-Korea Day” resolution to promote awareness of Hulbert and strengthen ties with Korea, and she and McGill responded positively to Kim's proposal to designate the monument a state historic marker with roadside signage, according to Yonhap and Seoul Economic Daily. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Korean residents from Vermont and elsewhere in the United States sang Bonjo Arirang, based on the Arirang that Hulbert first transcribed in 1896, and students of the Purme Korean culture school in Vermont performed Nanta, Yonhap reported. The association said the project was carried out with its own funds, including donations, without government support. [ 2 ]
Hulbert came to Korea in July 1886 as a teacher at Yukyeonggongwon, Korea's first state-run English school, and published books, papers and articles on Korean history and culture while publicizing internationally the injustice of Japan's invasion and colonial policies, Yonhap reported. In 1905, before the Eulsa Treaty, he was sent to the United States as Emperor Gojong's special envoy to deliver a letter to President Roosevelt, and Yonhap said the original letter was recently found. The Korean government posthumously awarded him the Order of Independence in 1950 and the Gold Crown Cultural Medal in 2014. [ 2 , 3 ]
Why it matters
The unveiling places a Korean-funded memorial to Hulbert in his American hometown, which organizers described as repaying a debt to the town and country that produced him. Remarks by Vermont state legislators about a commemorative day and a possible state historic designation suggest the site could gain an official status beyond the ceremony. The association said the project was financed privately, without government support.
Key facts
- A monument and bust honoring Homer Hulbert (1863–1949) were unveiled at Village Green in New Haven, Vermont, on Oct 3, which was National Foundation Day, according to the Hulbert Memorial Association. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The monument is 2 m high and 1.1 m wide, in two sections carrying separate English and Korean inscriptions, and includes the description of Hulbert as “Hero of Korea and Pride of America,” Dong-A Ilbo reported. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The bronze bust is 1.8 m tall including its base and was made by sculptor Kwon Chi-kyu as a donation of his skills; the stone is from Vermont, while the inscriptions and the bust were produced in Korea and shipped to the United States, Yonhap reported. [ 2 ]
- The site is the former location of the New Haven Congregational Church, which Hulbert attended as a child and where his father served as the second pastor; Dong-A Ilbo reported it is about 100 m from Hulbert's birthplace and about 70 m from the present church. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- About 120 people attended, including six descendants led by great-grandson Kimball Hulbert, Vermont state Senator Ruth Hardy, state Representative Jubilee McGill and Boston consulate deputy consul general Kwak Jung-yeol, Yonhap reported. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Hardy said she would push to submit a “Hulbert-Korea Day” resolution, and she and McGill responded positively to a proposal to designate the monument a Vermont state historic marker with roadside signs, according to Yonhap and Seoul Economic Daily. [ 2 , 3 ]
- The memorial association said the project was funded with its own resources, including donations, without government support, and chairman Kim Dong-jin said he felt “a small debt repaid,” Yonhap reported. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Hulbert came to Korea in July 1886 as a teacher at Yukyeonggongwon, Korea's first state-run English school, and in 1905, before the Eulsa Treaty, was sent to the United States as Emperor Gojong's special envoy to deliver a letter to President Roosevelt; the Korean government posthumously awarded him the Order of Independence in 1950 and the Gold Crown Cultural Medal in 2014. [ 2 , 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- The monument and bust were unveiled at Village Green in New Haven, Vermont, on Oct 3, which was National Foundation Day. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The monument is 2 m high and 1.1 m wide, with English and Korean inscriptions on separate sections. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The site is the former location of the New Haven Congregational Church, where Hulbert attended as a child and his father served as pastor. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The project was carried out by the Hulbert Memorial Association, chaired by Kim Dong-jin. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Vermont state Senator Ruth Hardy attended the ceremony and spoke there. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Hardy said she would pursue submitting a “Hulbert-Korea Day” resolution, and she and state Representative Jubilee McGill welcomed a proposal to designate the monument a Vermont state historic marker. [ 2 , 3 ]
Still unclear
- Whether the “Hulbert-Korea Day” resolution will be submitted and whether the monument will receive Vermont state historic designation. Yonhap and Seoul Economic Daily report only that Hardy said she would pursue the resolution and that she and McGill welcomed the historic-marker proposal; no formal step is reported.
- The identity and exact title of the New Haven city representative named in Korean as “존 롤루”. The name and title appear only as a Korean transliteration in a single document, so the English spelling and position cannot be confirmed.
- Whether the association's statement that the project used no government funding can be independently verified. Both outlets attribute the funding description to the organizer rather than to an independent source.
- Yonhap's statement that the original 1905 letter Hulbert carried for Emperor Gojong was recently found. The claim appears in a single outlet and no detail about the document or how it was found is given.
- Dong-A Ilbo's framing of a “140th anniversary” of Hulbert's arrival in Korea. The phrase appears only in the Dong-A Ilbo headline and is not explained in the text, which does not give an anniversary date or commemoration.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- The unveiling ceremony for the Hulbert monument and bust is held at Village Green in New Haven, Vermont, with about 120 attendees, including Hulbert's descendants and Vermont state legislators. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Dong-A Ilbo publishes its report on the monument and bust in Hulbert's hometown. [ 1 ]
- Yonhap publishes its report citing the Hulbert Memorial Association. [ 2 ]
- Seoul Economic Daily publishes its report on the unveiling and the planned “Hulbert-Korea Day.” [ 3 ]