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Date/Time
Date(s) - 06/14/2018
7:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Location
Reinsch Library Auditorium, Marymount University

Categories


Immigration and its Impact on World War I and Arlington

With Immigration Historian, Zack Wilske

During World War I, immigrants made up nearly 20 percent of the American armed forces. To encourage immigrant enlistments and naturalize immigrant servicemen before they shipped out, Congress passed laws to expedite military naturalizations. The Bureau of Naturalization launched a massive soldier naturalization program aimed at making as many immigrant soldiers into citizens as possible. Eventually, over 300,000 soldiers and veterans became citizens under WWI soldier naturalization laws. Using examples from the Arlington area, our speaker will discuss these efforts and offer research tips for attendees on researching WWI era naturalizations in their own families.

Zachary Wilske is a historian for US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). His research includes the history of the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), the development of federal immigration and nationality policies, and the uses of INS records for historians and genealogists. He has spoken at the National Archives, the International Conference on Jewish Genealogy, and academic conferences. He also has published several articles on federal immigration and naturalization records.

This program is free and open to the public. It is part of a monthly series of public programs sponsored by the Arlington Historical Society and Marymount University’s Department of History and Politics. For more information, please visit www.arlingtonhistoricalsociety.org, Email: info@arlingtonhistoricalsociety.org or call: 703-892-4204.

DRIVING DIRECTIONS and FREE PARKING: Attendees should enter the Marymount University campus at the library gate on N. 26th Street. Then turn left and park in the garage at the bottom of the incline. Handicapped parking is available at this 26th Street entrance immediately upon entry at the library.  For complete directions to the Main Campus of Marymount University (2807 N. Glebe Road) go to http://www.marymount.edu/Home/Contact-us/Locate-us

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION: A free Marymount Shuttle bus is available from the Ballston-MU Metro Station (Orange and Silver lines). The University is also accessible via Metro bus routes 23A and 23T; exit at the N. Glebe Road and Old Dominion Drive stop.