An Interdisciplinary Approach to Historical Analogy: Drawing Parallels Between Early 20th Century and Modern Immigrant Groups in Hazleton, Pennsylvania 

Summary

In the town of Hazleton, PA, long-term residents exhibit a strong sense of American identity in reference to their ancestor’s immigration to the U.S. from Western, Southern and Eastern Europe in the mid-to-late nineteenth century. Though members of this descendant group seem to be well aware of the ethnic and racial discrimination their forefathers faced, their views on a recent influx of Latino immigrants that have established themselves in the area are often surprisingly discriminative. In order to draw parallels between the experiences of local immigrants of the 19th century and the new immigrants of today, we have taken an interdisciplinary approach to research that utilizes historical documents, archaeological evidence and ethnographic research. Through comparing and contrasting the experiences of these two immigrant groups, we aim to reevaluate, challenge and elaborate upon the broad narratives of immigration in the Hazleton region as well as within the national discourse.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for Historical Archaeology 2013   •
• Poster Session 1

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Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology

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PaperId(s): 370