Museum Of Fine Arts Hosts Ceremony For 187 New US Citizens
BOSTON (CBS) - In the hit musical "Hamilton" there's a song with a line that says: "Immigrants, we get the job done." Well, nearly 200 people got the job done Monday in Boston, with a new beginning.
They became American citizens at a ceremony filled with hopes and dreams. "I like to become a citizen, because I love this place!"
"I just want to spend the rest of my life here. This is the best place ever."
Just two of the comments from people gathered for a moving ceremony to grant them American citizenship. "It's the world. It means a lot to have freedom," says another.
One hundred eighty seven people from 57 countries took the oath of allegiance. Judge Marianne Bowler presided over the proceedings. "This is a land of immigrants. A land made great by the energy, the talent and the spirit that you bring here from all corners of the world," she said.
For the first time Boston's Museum of Fine Arts hosted the naturalization ceremony just outside the Art of the Americas wing. "One of the great challenges for museums is to be truly welcoming and to say to everybody, you belong here," says Matthew Teitelbaum, the museum's director and a grandson of immigrants.
When the ceremony ended, they picked up their citizenship papers, with hugs all around. "It means a lot to me. I'm so happy about this," says Aone Wang, who is originally from Taiwan.
One of the first things many of the people who became Americans today did was register to vote.