This is a 10-week workshop, starting on September 26th, 2017

Moderator:                Dean Poli
Co-moderator:        Larry Ambs
Day and Time:         Tuesday 10:00AM-Noon
Location:                    UMass Transit Center, Amherst
(parking permit required; provided to participants by moderator)

Participants will be expected to prepare a short presentation (30-35 minute) and lead a discussion concerning the immigration, difficulty of assimilation and contributions made of a particular group of people to the US.

With a new administration in Washington and what appears to be a crackdown on immigrants, this seminar will explore the immigration history of some of the many groups that came to this country in the 19th and 20th centuries. Why these groups came, their struggles to assimilate when opposed by laws, intolerance and organized opposition will be considered. In addition, the many contributions these groups made will also be discussed.

Role of participants:
Each participant will pick an ethnic group such as Irish, Italian, Chinese, etc. or group of people such as African-Americans, Jews or Muslims, and discuss the history of their immigration to the US, their road to assimilation and the contribution they made to America. One can also pick one of the numerous opposition groups which have arisen, such as the “Know Nothings,” or Ku Klux Klan and research and discuss their impact on US immigration history.

Resources:
A “required” book is Immigrant Struggles, Immigrant Gifts, edited by Portnoy, Portnoy and Riggs. An excellent web site for this seminar is everyculture.com

About the Moderators:
Both co-moderators are interested in historical topics and have moderated or co-moderated several LIR seminars.

Maximum number of participants: 17

Emeritus/a accepted: yes, up to 2