American Greetings

Dalton Color Guard welcome one of our newest U.S. citizens.
Photos ©Jeremy Clowe for Norman Rockwell Museum. All rights reserved.

In yesterday's blog I briefly mentioned the naturalization ceremony that I helped out with yesterday at Norman Rockwell Museum. Working at the Museum as long I have, I sometimes forget how effective those paintings, in this case The Four Freedoms, can be... yesterday I was reminded. 23 Berkshire County residents were sworn-in as United States citizens in front of Rockwell's iconic series of paintings illustrating President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's 1941 speech to Congress--in that speech he described four essential human freedoms necessary in today's world: freedom of speech and expression, freedom of worship, freedom from want, and freedom from fear.

I enjoyed meeting this family from El Salvador...
wish I had written down some of the recipes
they described.

The new citizens originated from 16 different countries, including Benin, Canada, the Czech Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Germany, Ghana, India, the Ivory Coast, Mexico, Morocco, Nigeria, Peru, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam. Some attended the ceremony in different styles of dress from those countries. Many brought their families, and it was touching to learn that these children automatically became U.S. citizens as well.

I have never attended a ceremony like this and I have to say I was moved by the significance of the event. I talked with representatives from the Berkshire Immigrant Center that co-sponsored the event, and they informed me of how difficult it can be to become a citizen of the U.S. Some of the people I met waited 20 years to have the honor... it made me think about how desirable it is to be an American... to this day. In fact, after learning of the very demanding tests that are part of the naturalization process, these new citizens may know more about the U.S. than those of us who were born here... I was moved witnessing a much older man from India, as he walked up to receive his certificate.

Judge Rutberg and Governor Patrick
welcome one of the new citizens (originally from
the African continent).

Several Massachusetts state dignitaries were on hand to welcome the new citizens, including Governor Deval Patrick. Just days earlier I had watched him live on TV as he spoke at the Democratic National Convention, so it was great that he was able to join us--seems like a nice guy. Judge Frederic Rutberg, a Stockbridge resident, administered the oath of allegiance, which was quite special in itself, since he had originally been sworn-in as a judge in front of the same paintings back in the early 90s. 

We had several members of the press stop by to the cover the event, which was good... and I was busy taking my own photographs and filming the ceremony... a little hectic at times (Governor Patrick called me a "one-man band"), but I was glad to be there and proud of the Museum for hosting such an event. 

Immediately following the ceremony there was a reception, and I had a chance to talk with several of the new citizens. It was a pleasure to welcome them to the United States, offering them copies of the photos and my own hospitality; in the words of Governor Patrick:  “The diverse backgrounds, shared experiences, enthusiasm and ambition among these new citizens will make the Commonwealth and country stronger for generations to come.”

Photos ©Jeremy Clowe for Norman Rockwell Museum. All rights reserved.

*View more photos I took at the event on Norman Rockwell Museum's Facebook page (captions courtesy of the Museum's Director)

*Read press releases I created for the event:

-Norman Rockwell Museum To Hold Naturalization Ceremony 

-NRM Welcomes 23 New United States Citizens During Naturalization Ceremony 

*Berkshire Eagle article, September 9, 2012