American Culture in the 20th Century: Gifts from Immigration-NEW DATE

Thu, 02/16/2017 - 5:45am

In connection with the 2017 Camden Conference, Refugees and Global Migration, Cushing residents Alan Magee, and Pat and David Farmer, will present a community event, Gifts of Immigration to American Culture, at the Cushing Public Library from 2 to 4 pm on Sunday, February 26th. The program focuses on the prominent role that immigrants to the United States played in the development of popular culture in this country.  The event, originally planned for presentation on Sunday, February 12, has been changed due to the current major snow storm which is expected to continue through the weekend. It  is open to the public and free of charge.

Today, immigrants and refugees are suffering widespread rejection— often dying—as they attempt to find shelter from persecution in their homelands—just as many of their predecessors did in the 19th and 20th centuries. Some of these earlier freedom seekers, however, prevailed, living on in their new home to make major and lasting contributions to many aspects of life in the United States.

The history of immigrant contributions to industrial, financial and educational progress in the United States has been well documented, but nothing has influenced our country’s popular history in the past 100 years as widely and deeply as the immigrant role in our evolving culture.

Every generation of immigrants has brought with it memories of their native land to a new life in the United States. Soon the threads of their traditions weave themselves into the aesthetic choices of their new country, continually reshaping our customs, our world vision, and our intellectual interests, and thereby enriching our lives. In a retrospective presentation, art historian Pat Farmer, art historian and museum director David Farmer, and internationally known artist/filmmaker Alan Magee will speak about the influences of immigrants on the evolution of music, art and film in 20th century America. 

This presentation is hosted by the Cushing Public Library and offered as a free community event in relation to the 30th Annual Camden Conference -Refugees and Global Migration: Humanity’s Crisis, February 17-19, 2017. The 30th Anniversary Camden Conference Community Events Series is supported in part by the Maine Humanities Council.