Graduated from the Imperatorski Jurjevski Universitet (Tartu University) (1911). In 1914-1920 scholar, the Director of the Minsk Teacher's Institute. In 1920-1921 People's Commissar on Agriculture of BSSR, in 1921-1926 People's Commissar on Education of BSSR. From 1921 Professor, Dean, and Deputy of the Rector of the Belarusian State University. From 1925 the Chairmen (from 1927 the President) of the Belarusian Institute of Culture (Inbelkult). In 1929-1931 the President of the Belarusian Academy of Sciences and simultaneously the Director of the Institute of History of the Academy. In 1925-1927 Member of USSR Central Executive Committee, in 1920-1930 Member of BSSR Central Executive Committee, in 1924-1930 Member of the Presidium of BSSR Central Executive Committee.
Was engaged in research of Belarus history. Has published a number of large monographic research works, including the first generalizing work on a history of Belarus - "The Short Story of Belarus History" (1919). His monograph "1863 on Belarus: Story of Events" (1930) has become the first large research on a history of this revolt in the Belarusian historiography. Significant attention gave to a history of October revolution and first years of Soviet power in Belarus. It possesses to him the development of the concept of a national history based on a statehood periodization of the Belarusian lands.
Has published more than 40 scientific and scientific-publicistic works, including 8 monographs.
Main Works:
1. Кароткi нарыс гiсторыi Беларусi. Выд. 5. Мiнск, 1991.
2. Гiсторыя Беларусi ў ХIХ i пачатку ХХ сталецьця. Выд. 3, Мінск, 1928.
3. Белоруссия: Территория, население, экономика, важнейшие моменты истории, экономические очерки Советской Белоруссии и ее округов. Минск, 1926 (в соавторстве с А.Смоличем).
4. 1863 на Беларусi: Нарыс падзей. Мінск, 1930.
Literature:
1. Iгнаценка I.М., Кароль А.С. "Пад сцяг чырвоны..." // Полымя, 1988, No.5.
2. Iгнаценка I., Кароль А. Усевалад Iгнатоўскi i яго час. Мінск, 1991.
3. Акадэмiк У.М. Iгнатоўскi: Матэрыялы навуковых чытанняў, прысвечаных 110-годдзю з дня нараджэння. Мінск, 1993.