By Shawn Nowlin
On July 4, nearly 75 individuals were welcomed as official citizens of the United States. Family members, friends, neighbors, supporters and onlookers celebrated the naturalization ceremony in Monticello.
A decades-long Independence Day tradition at the former home of Thomas Jefferson, thousands in the crowd cheered on the individuals as they raised their hands to take the oath of citizenship.
Smiles of joy radiated across the faces of the citizens’ families.
Filmmaker icon Ken Burns served as the ceremony’s keynote speaker.
“You know, politics is basically a binary thing… It’s very superficial. The things that engage us in our lives, our relationships, our work, the stories that we tell each other are complex and have contradictions inherent in them,” he said. “And everybody here knows how to understand those contradictions. So, I think we can put the superficiality of the politics of the moment away and understand the deeply symbolic meaning and import of new citizens.”
For Cameroon native Olive Ngalame-Makia, her journey to becoming an American citizen was filled with many hurdles. “Growing up, my dad constantly emphasized the importance of getting a good education. I praise God for this today. I wish that my dad were here. Only in America could his little girl grow up in a very poor home and become a citizen of the greatest nation in the world,” she said.
After the ceremony, an emotional Ngalame-Makia, along with many others, sent pictures and videos back home to their loved ones.
Due process, better life opportunities and support from other Americans are things that individuals immigrating to the US deserve, noted Chiagozie Ibeh.
“Monticello was the perfect place to make my dreams come true. It meant the world to have my family here today. Due to the current structure of the federal government, there were plenty of times when I felt this day wouldn’t come,” he said.
The President and CEO of Monticello and the Thomas Jefferson Foundation is Jane Kamensky. “Today reminds me of the privilege it is to be an American. I’m reminded of the commitment it takes from all of us to sustain our Constitutional democracy, and doing this in a community like this… it’s like all of us are taking the oath today,” she said to all in attendance.
The new American citizens represent 41 countries around the world.
