“Carol of the Bells” is perhaps one of the most famous Christmas songs in history. It’s hard to go through a Christmas season without hearing it in stores, public squares, or even commercials. What most Americans don’t know is that the classic tune has Ukrainian origins.

Exactly 100 years ago, the Ukrainian National Chorus first performed the piece in the United States at New York’s Carnegie Hall as part of a cultural diplomacy mission. It was part of an effort to assert Ukrainian independence shortly before the fledgling Soviet Union quashed it. Today, as Ukraine fights to preserve its independence and Vladimir Putin attempts to rewrite Ukrainian history to deny its distinctiveness, the story of this beloved carol is more relevant than ever.