Jesse Helms and Alexander Solzhenitsyn:
United Through Friendship

The late U.S. Senator Jesse Helms (NC) and the late political exile, Russian writer, and Nobel Prize for Literature recipient Alexander Solzhenitsyn were men of principle, men of faith, and men who believed in a free world. Both boldly spoke out against the dangers of communism and in particular how the Soviet regime lived a cancerous existence at the expense of others—the Russian people.

The Cold War

The fall of the Iron Curtain is associated—and rightfully so—with American President Ronald Reagan, British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, and Pope John Paul II.  Yet this triumvirate did not work without help. Helms and Solzhenitsyn played significant roles, too. To overlook their friendship is to ignore an interesting and significant chapter in diplomatic and United States history.

Helms and SOlzhenitsyn

On February 18-19, 1974, Senator Helms introduced the first of several Senate resolutions granting Solzhenitsyn honorary United States citizenship. Helms heard of Solzhenitsyn’s struggle for freedom and greatly admired his writings.

Following the resolution, Helms fought hard to bring Solzhenitsyn to the United States and a long-lasting friendship formed. You can see their respect and admiration for each other in their correspondence.

Following the resolution, Helms fought hard to bring Solzhenitsyn to the United States and a long-lasting friendship formed. You can see their respect and admiration for each other in their correspondence.

In his writings, Solzhenitsyn exposed the brutal truth concerning Soviet communism and its rule of terror, and Helms helped broadcast this historical lesson in the United States. Mutual respect turned into a friendship that united two men from opposite sides of the world.

Written by: Troy Kickler, Ph.D., Founding Director, North Carolina History Project & Rich Carney, Archives Director and Curator, Jesse Helms Center Archives.

For more information on the Helms/Solzhenitsyn relationship visit, http://northcarolinahistory.org/commentary/469/entry.

All documents from The Jesse A. Helms Papers, Jesse Helms Center Archives, Wingate, NC