MARQUETTE, Mich.—The Beaumier Upper Peninsula Heritage Center at Northern Michigan University will host a presentation titled “Host and Huddled Masses: Defining ‘Americanism’ during the Century of Immigration, 1820-1924.” Gabe Logan, NMU history professor, will speak at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 15, in 105 Cohodas Hall. His talk is free and open to the public.

            Logan will explore how the United States perceived, welcomed and rejected various immigrant groups during the Century of Immigration. He also will explain how immigrants’ cultural baggage altered the nation’s social fabric as all sought to define what it meant to be an “American.” The artifacts currently on display in the center illustrate the disturbing, humorous, and hopeful clues to that process, while inquiring how well the country allowed the huddled masses to breathe free. 

The presentation relates to the exhibition, “Immigration and Caricature: Ethnic Images from the Appel Collection.” For more information, visit www.nmu.edu/beaumieror call 227-1219.