Committees and Organizations Who Promoted Americanization

The National Americanization Committee (NAC) was formed in May of 1915 to “bring American citizens, foreign-born and native-born alike, together on our national Independence Day to celebrate the common privileges and define the common duties of all Americans, wherever born.” During the first 6 months of its existence, the NAC conducted night-school publicity campaigns, state training courses for teachers, college training courses for social service and immigration, preliminary surveys in cities, plans and details for teaching English and civics, and Americanization conferences.

After the United States’ entry into World War I, the NAC turned over a majority of its staff and equipment to the national government, free of charge, in order to help further Americanization projects. 

Frances Kellor (October 20, 1873-January 4, 1952) was an American social reformer and political organizer who studied women and immigrants. She attended Cornell Law School and studied criminal psychology at the University of Chicago. In 1909 she became the secretary and treasurer of the New York State Immigration Commission and from 1910 to 1913 she was the chief investigator for the Bureau of Industries and Immigration of New York State. During World War I, Kellor was the director of the NAC. She believed that better communication skills would help immigrants avoid workplace accidents and grow professionally.  

The Connecticut Americanization Bureau was made official on September 1, 1918 and was led by Harrison H. Wheaton. In an address to the Chairman and Members of the Bar Association, Wheaton said:

During the war Americanization was very much in the background of nearly everything we did. During the period of reconstruction Americanization is going to be in the foreground of very much everything that we do. Americanization during the last two years has come into its own. Before that time it was largely a matter of sentimentality and to some extent of fads. During the war we came to appreciate that Americanization was vital to our national existence. When we went into the war, almost two years ago, we found that we had in this country some 13 million persons of foreign birth, and we had some 5 million who were unable to speak the common language of the United States. There were 2 million who were unable to read and write in any language; and approximately no less than 7 million persons in this country who were unable read and write our language, the English language…

…We had thought that we could absorb into our population all of the elements who came from foreign countries. Accordingly, we were very greatly surprised during the last 2 years to find that a very substantial part of our population still have its first allegiance to our enemies; and that surprise shocked the average American…

…Americanization is not something that is a matter of sentiment. It is something which goes to the root of our national life and to the very basis of citizenship; it goes into the very heart of America. Americanization is making America. It is the evolution through which we must go to bring forth a greater, a more united, a more perfect, America, following perfect American ideals. That is Americanization; and you therefore see that it is of supreme importance, because it goes to the very heart of American life, of Americanship, of American spirit and loyalty…

…The State Council of Defense has instituted, after first having a committee, a state department of Americanization for the purpose of dealing with all phases of the problem, but in the beginning, primarily, with the educational side, and to that awe have given our first attention.