As the United States approaches its semiquincentennial, I find myself reflecting on the innumerable benefits America has bestowed upon the rest of humanity.
Today is June 2, a day in my native country of Bulgaria dedicated to honoring fallen heroes. It also commemorates the life of Hristo Botev — a 19th‑century poet and revolutionary whose story embodies the universal struggle for liberty.
Botev was captivated by Patrick Henry’s immortal words, “Give me liberty or give me death!” He devoted his short life to writing fiery poetry and organizing an uprising to free Bulgaria from nearly five centuries of Ottoman rule. Drawing from the Bulgarian émigré community in Romania, which enjoyed a measure of autonomy at the time, he assembled a group of committed young patriots.
In late April 1876, Botev and his “band of brothers” boarded the Austrian steamer Radetzky from a Danube port near Giurgiu, posing as gardeners traveling to Vienna, where Bulgarians were widely sought as skilled horticultural workers. As the ship approached the Bulgarian shore, Botev revealed the mission and demanded an unscheduled stop. The captain initially refused but ultimately relented in the face of determined, armed revolutionaries and allowed them to disembark.
The plan was to join a broader uprising already underway. But miscommunication about timing proved fatal. Botev’s detachment was isolated, surrounded, and ultimately destroyed. The young poet fulfilled in deed what he had proclaimed in words: he gave his life for the freedom of his country.
Elsewhere, the rebellion was crushed with brutal force. In towns such as Perushtitsa and Batak, irregular units aiding Ottoman authorities massacred men, women, and children — even after their surrender. These atrocities might have remained obscure were it not for two Americans: the diplomat Eugene Schuyler and the journalist Januarius MacGahan. Their investigations brought the truth to the world, galvanizing international outrage.
That outrage helped set in motion the chain of events that led to Bulgaria’s liberation in 1878. The newly restored Bulgarian state expressed its gratitude in formal telegrams — one addressed to Schuyler, recognizing that without his courage and integrity, the full extent of the atrocities might never have been known.
In 2018, my husband and I had the privilege of helping arrange for Schuyler to be honored posthumously by the Bulgarian government. A descendant of his family accepted the medal on his behalf — a small but meaningful act of remembrance.
At a time when anti-Americanism is deliberately cultivated and amplified by both external and internal enemies, such stories are worth recalling. America’s influence has not been confined to its own borders; it has advanced the cause of human dignity far beyond them.
As the nation marks its 250th anniversary, we would do well to remember not only its founding ideals but also the lives — abroad and at home — that those ideals have touched. Passing that understanding on to future generations is both a responsibility and a tribute to a remarkable legacy.
Nora D. Clinton is a Research Scholar & Project Manager at the Legal Insurrection Foundation. She was born and raised in Sofia, Bulgaria. She holds a PhD in Classics and has published extensively on ancient documents on stone. In 2020, she authored the popular memoir Quarantine Reflections Across Two Worlds. Nora is a co-founder of two partner charities dedicated to academic cooperation and American values. She lives in Northern Virginia with her husband and son.
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