The Immigrants

Moderators: Dean Poli & Larry Ambs
Role of participants: Participants will be expected to prepare a short presentation (30-35 min) and lead a discussion concerning the immigration and assimilation of a particular ethnic group to the U.S.
Number of participants (including the moderator): 17
Time: Mondays, 10:00 am–noon
Place: UMass Transit Facility, Commonwealth Avenue, Amherst
Parking: Parking in adjacent Lot 45; directions will be given

This seminar will explore the immigration history of some of the many groups who came to this country and their road to assimilation.

Many immigrants came to the United States seeking greater economic opportunity, while some, such as the Pilgrims in the early 1600s arrived in search of religious freedom.  From the 17th to the 19th centuries hundreds of thousands of black slaves from West Africa came here against their will. Each participant will pick a country such as Ireland, France, China, etc. or group of people such as African-Americans and research and discuss the history of their immigration to the U.S. and their road to assimilation.

Format: Seminar

Resources: While some books, such as The German Americans: An Ethnic Experience, by Max Kade and La Storia: Five Centuries of the Italian American Experience, by Mangione & Morreale exist, most participants will have to rely on the Internet to research the immigration history of the particular ethnic group they have selected.  A good web site is the Multicultural America section of everyculture.com.

The Moderators: Both moderators are interested in historical topics and have moderated or co-moderated several LIR seminars falling under the category of history.