The exhibition is on display at VU Library (Universiteto g. 3) in the corridor next to the Director’s Office (3rd floor) until 28 February.
The Kazickas family is pleased to present this special 100th year anniversary exhibition on the life and times of Joseph P. Kazickas (1918–2014) – philanthropist, patriot, and businessman.
Born in Ciornaya Padina, Russia where his Lithuanian ancestors were exiled after the 1863 uprising against the Tsar, J.P Kazickas spent most of his life in the United States with only 20 years in Lithuania, but never lost his love for his homeland. He lobbied for its freedom during the dark days of the cold war, rejoiced in the redeclaration of its independence in 1990 and worked hard to bring economic prosperity to the Lithuanian people.
Kazickas lived a very full life. Arriving penniless in the United States from displaced persons camps in Germany in 1947, he received a doctorate in economics from Yale University in 1951 and went on to become a successful entrepreneur.
He raised five children with his wife, Alexandra, travelled the word, forming friendships with people at the highest levels of American and international society, and became a generous donor to many Lithuanian causes.
In this exhibit, a visitor can read about his varied life experiences. Kazickas was an intellectual, gifted writer and orator, a patron of the arts, a sportsman, an enthusiastic photographer and gardener, and most of all, a devoted family man, married to Alexandra for 70 years.
He established the Kazickas Family Foundation in 1998, which is his greatest legacy to the Lithuanian people.
KFF has supported more than 100 charitable causes, including the computerization of public schools, the reconstruction of important architectural sites, the publication of numerous books on Lithuanian history and promotion of music and dance festivals that showcase the country’s rich traditions and culture.