Homer Hulbert Memorial Dedication

Senator Hardy delivered the following remarks at the dedication of a memorial to Homer Hulbert, in New Haven on October 3, 2026. Hulbert was born in New Haven and went on to become an expert on Korean language & culture, a leader of Korean education, and an international advocate for Korean sovereignty & security. The dedication ceremony included an international delegation from the Hulbert Memorial Society in Korea, descendants of Hulbert, Korean Vermonters, New Haven leaders & community members, Senator Hardy & Rep. Jubilee McGill, and representatives from Middlebury College and St. Johnsbury Academy. See below also for a video of Senator Hardy’s remarks.

Good morning everyone, I’m Senator Ruth Hardy, and I’m thrilled to be here in New Haven with all of you on this beautiful day to celebrate the dedication of a monument for a son of this community, Homer Hulbert. Thank you to Kathy Cahill and Kim Dong-jin for including me in the program and for all of their work in putting together this celebration.

I will admit that when Kathy invited me to speak at the dedication of this monument, I had never heard of Homer Hulbert and could not figure out why people from Korea wanted to honor him here in Vermont. But, as I learned more about Hulbert, I was struck by how his work in the early and mid-20th century to advocate for and help foster deep international understanding & friendship, and cross-cultural research & scholarship was incredibly important and relevant to this moment we find ourselves in today.

As an American and Vermonter, Hulbert advocated for better understanding of Korea, a small country on the other side of the world. He learned their language, studied their culture, and made deep ties and lasting friendships with Koreans. He then advocated for Koreans to have a voice on the international stage at a time when their country was the target of international misunderstanding and hostility.

In 2026, when so many countries in the world find themselves as the target of international hostility – in the Middle East, Latin American, Eastern Europe, and Asia – Homer Hulbert’s advocacy for Korea could be a model for how Americans can work to foster international understanding and lasting friendship that could help lead to peace around the world.

Over the past several years, I have authored and helped shepherd legislation to create the Vermont Sister State Program, which is just getting up and running this fall. This program will help Vermont create formal partnerships with states, provinces, and territories in countries around the world. With our sister states, Vermont will be able to more easily form educational, cultural, artistic, and economic partnerships. And, hopefully, form lasting friendships with people in countries far away, just like Homer Hulbert did.

If our world is to have a peaceful future, we must do everything we can to connect as people across the world and create relationships rooted in respect and knowledge. 

New Haven’s native son, Homer Hulbert, is one role model for how this can be done. Now that I, and all of you, know who Homer Hulbert is and what he accomplished, perhaps we can each be inspired to follow his lead.

Thank you, and enjoy this wonderful, international celebration!