Proud to be an American: New exhibit at Sutter County Museum explores immigration, citizenship
May 17—As Sutter County residents prepare to vote in the 2022 June 7 direct primary election, Sutter County Museum is offering a timely display called "The Newest Americans," a temporary exhibit which focuses on the importance of American citizenship.
The exhibit is in collaboration with Sutter County Elections and Sutter County Literacy Services and will be open to the public through Sept. 4 during regular business hours.
"The Newest Americans" features 29 portraits by photographer Sam Comen, paired with interviews by Michael Estrin, that capture the experience of immigrants and promotes discussion on America's legacy and the future of the American dream.
In total, 23 countries are represented in Comen's deep and dramatic photography. Under each portrait is a quote selected by Estrin from conversations he had with each pictured individual about why they chose to become American citizens.
"The photography is just stunning, but when you go through and read the panels, there are so many different perspectives represented," said Molly Bloom, the museum's director and curator.
"The original curators did a really nice job of capturing a lot of variety and the reasons why people decided to become citizens and how it's meaningful to them and for their families, and so I'd say what's in here is just so personal."
While there are many reasons for wanting to become an American, the one thing that stays constant throughout the interviews is the recognition of freedom and social mobility that this designation entails.
For those interested in learning more about the rigors of becoming an American citizen, sample questions of the American civics test are available at the exhibit along with information about Sutter County Library's free citizenship preparation programs.
One of Bloom's favorite features is a collection of original Sutter County naturalization and voting documents that date back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
"It's really interesting because even though this was 100 years ago, they're still exploring some of the same themes as in the exhibit about the American dream and just through the documents you can learn a lot about their family," said Bloom. "So we're really excited to have some of these on display."
This exhibit was produced in partnership with The California Museum and traveled by Exhibit Envoy. Artists Comen and Estrin undertook this project as a way to examine the definition of "American" and who has a right to the "American dream." The photographs and interviews were taken in February and March of 2017 during two naturalization ceremonies in Los Angeles.
The road to citizenship can be a tumultuous journey, but for many immigrants it is an affirming accomplishment of their identity and status in society.
"I think it ties in really nicely to our permanent exhibits, which explores immigrants in the Sutter County community and what they have brought and contributed," said B;oom. "We all have personal stories about our families, so I hope that the community will be able to see themselves and their families history represented in some of the reasons that the people featured in the exhibit express."
On June 24, a reception will be held at the museum to celebrate both this temporary exhibit and the permanent exhibit "The Nisenan: A History of the Sacramento Valley." And on July 15 there will be a children's movie night featuring "An American Tail."
For more details and information about the exhibits and events call 530-822-7141 or visit www.suttercountymuseum.org.
The Sutter County Museum is located at 1333 Butte House Rd. in Yuba City. Regular hours are 1-5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Admission is free.
