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Immigration since 1840
Becoming an American
Becoming an American

Becoming an American

Learn about the opportunities and pressures immigrants have confronted to “become American,” from cultural and educational programs like English language classes and social events to formal citizenship processes. As immigrants have experienced and adopted American pastimes and practices, they have also maintained communities and traditions from the past.

  • “The Melting Pot of the Steel Industry,” photograph by Lewis Hine

    KVIE (Television station : Sacramento, Calif.)

    This raw footage shows a march in support of Hispanic immigrants in Sacramento, California, possibly from 2006. Chanting "Si se puede," the motto of the United Farm Workers, the protesters hold Americ…

    View Full Item  in KVIE
  • The Settlement Cook Book, designed to help recent immigrants adjust to mainstream American culture

    Kander, Lizzie Black

    Born in Milwaukee in 1858, Lizzie Black Kander helped to establish and was president of Milwaukee's first social settlement, known simply as "the Settlement" in 1900. With the financial support of the…

    View Full Item  in Wisconsin Historical Society
  • Syllabus for public-school teachers in the instruction of aliens in the requirements of the naturalization law, 1916

    United States. Bureau of Naturalization

    View Full Item  in University of Michigan
  • Americanization through education in Kansas, 1917

    Minckley, Loren Stiles

    View Full Item  in University of Wisconsin
  • Guide on how to become a U.S. citizen, written in English and German, 1917

    Kallmeyer, Charles

    View Full Item  in New York Public Library
  • Collected meditations of a newly naturalized immigrant, 1919

    Bridges, Horace J. (Horace James), 1880-1955

    View Full Item  in University of California
  • Newspaper clipping on Americanization after WWI

    Lane, Franklin K

    Clipping from the "Mining and Scientific Press" explaining the concept of Americanization in the post-World War I era. Some paragraphs are missing.

    View Full Item  in Special Collections and University Archives, University of Massachusetts Amherst Libraries
  • The fundamentals of citizenship, 1919

    National Catholic War Council. Committee on Special War Activities

    View Full Item  in University of Minnesota
  • Democracy and assimilation, the blending of immigrant heritages in America

    Drachsler, Julius, 1889-1927

    Bibliography: p. 265-270.

    View Full Item  in University of California
  • Americanization English class in the General Electric Schenectady Works Turbin Shop, 1920s

    General Electric Company

    English Class held for workers in the General Electric Schenectady Works Turbine Shop, Building 60. The class was part of the Americanization program developed by GE for its workers in the 1920s.

    View Full Item  in miSci
  • Petition for Naturalization for movie producer and director Alfred Joseph Hitchcock

    U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. 3/18/1966

    This item is the Petition for Naturalization filed by Alfred Joseph Hitchcock. The Petition lists Hitchcock's name, address, dates of birth and immigration, place of birth, manner and place of arrival…

    View Full Item  in National Archives at Riverside
  • Memo advocating for using principles of freedom and tolerance in the hiring of refugee physicians across the U.S.

    Memorandum discussing the problem of placing immigrant physicians that sought refuge from the Nazi party on the Eastern seaboard, particularly New York. 4 p. ; 28 cm.

    View Full Item  in Moody Medical Library, UT
  • Poster on the America a a melting pot of liberty-loving people

    Office for Emergency Management. Office of War Information. Domestic Operations Branch. Bureau of Special Services. 3/9/1943-9/15/1945

    View Full Item  in National Archives at College Park - Still Pictures
  • Essay on internment by Japanese high school student, Kiyoko Kasai, 1942

    Japanese Students Club of Sequoia High: Publisher, Kasai, Kiyoko: author

    Essay written by Kiyoko Kasai, senior class of 1941-1942, Sequoia High School, Redwood City, California and printed by Japanese Students Club of Sequoia High. Kasai discusses her family history, espec…

    View Full Item  in California State University, Dominguez Hills, Archives and Special Collections
  • Actress Greta Garbo filling out paperwork for United States citizenship

    View Full Item  in UCLA, Library Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research Library
  • Americanization class for Issei or Japanese immigrants both in Japan, 1954

    Unknown

    United States Citizenship class taught by Mr. Fujimori for Issei naturalization.

    View Full Item  in California State University, Sacramento Library
  • Naturalization certificate for Irish immigrant Johanna T. Scanlon, 1960

    Francie Scanlon

    Johanna T. Scanlon emigrated to the United States from Ireland to New York City. This original document, which bears the official raised seal from the Southern District Court of New York, granted her…

    View Full Item  in Queens Borough Public Library
  • United States immigrant visa program in Laos, information on applying for United States citizenship

    MPIU

    View Full Item  in UC Irvine, Libraries, Southeast Asian Archive
  • News clips on citizenship ceremonies in Fort Worth, Texas

    KXAS-TV (Television station : Fort Worth, Tex.)

    Video footage from the KXAS-TV/NBC station in Fort Worth, Texas, to accompany a news story. This story aired at 6:00 P.M. 1 videocassette (Umatic) (2 min., 15 sec.) : sd., col. ; 3/4 in.

    View Full Item  in UNT Libraries Special Collections
  • Directory of nonprofit immigration counseling agencies, 1981

    "M-2333" Cover title.

    View Full Item  in University of Michigan
  • March for immigrant rights and citizenship, 2006

    KVIE (Television station : Sacramento, Calif.)

    This raw footage shows a march in support of Hispanic immigrants in Sacramento, California, possibly from 2006. Chanting "Si se puede," the motto of the United Farm Workers, the protesters hold Americ…

    View Full Item  in KVIE
  • First Christmas in the U.S. for an immigrant family in Queens, New York, 2007

    Jania Taylor

    Jania Taylor holds a book, one of the items she received during her first Christmas in the United States. She isn't smiling in the photo because she had just stubbed her toe. Collected through the Cul…

    View Full Item  in Queens Borough Public Library
  • Excerpt from Kahin Mohammad Conversation on Kurdish assimilation in Nashville, Tennessee

    Kahin talks about Kurdish assimilation in the United States and Nashville

    View Full Item  in Nashville Public Library
Browse by Topic
Immigration since 1840
Becoming an American

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