It was standing room only inside the United States Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee on Tuesday as nearly 80 people from 39 different countries took the oath for American citizenship.
Sunday, March 16, 2025
Knoxville naturalization ceremonies welcome America’s newest citizens
Saturday, March 15, 2025
Ruth Bader Ginsburg
On March 15, 1933. Ruth Bader Ginsburg was born in New York City.
She served as a justice of the Supreme Court of the United States from 1993 until her death in September 18, 2020.
Today we celebrate her life and legacy.
 | |
The Four Justices, a tribute to the four female justices who have served on the U.S. Supreme Court. Sitting: Justices Sandra Day O'Connor (ret.), Ruth Bader Ginsburg; Standing: Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan |
Women in the Judicial Branch
- Ruth Bader Ginsburg and the Judicial Branch new video!
- A citizenship quiz that celebrates Ruth Bader Ginsburg and her Sisters in Law and Justice pdf and mp3
More Resources
- ESL Library:
- NY Times
- Remembering Ruth Bader Ginsburg video
- She Knows
- Ruth Bader Ginsburg Printable Coloring Book (9 images)
- si.edu
- Preparing the Oath: The Court videos
- TED-ed
- How do US Supreme Court justices get appointed? - Peter Paccone video
- US Courts
- 2016 Constitution Day & Citizenship Day: Supreme Court Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor Remarks video
- Pathways to the Bench: U.S. Court of Appeals Judge Jacqueline H. Nguyen video
- Pathways to the Bench: Magistrate Judge Maria Valdez video
- Pathways to the Bench Play list videos
- USCIS
- Judicial Branch (beginning)
- Judicial Branch (intermediate)
- VOA News and VOA Learning English:
- Ruth Bader Ginsburg: An Appreciation video
- Supreme Court Justice Continues Equality Fight: Ruth Bader Ginsburg video
- The Supreme Court series (EXCELLENT!)
- US Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg Dies at 87 article and audio
- Washington Mural Pays Tribute to Ruth Bader Ginsburg video
- VOX
- How a case gets to the US Supreme Court video
Friday, March 14, 2025
Keeping the stories of Chinese American Texans alive
VOA News: Keeping the stories of Chinese American Texans alive
The state of Texas has the third-largest Asian American population in the U.S. Chinese Americans there have roots that trace back for generations. While the history of these Texans might not be as well known, their stories are just as intertwined with America’s. VOA’s Elizabeth Lee has the story.
Thursday, March 13, 2025
Elizabeth Freeman
Center for Civic Education: Elizabeth Freeman
Elizabeth Freeman, also known as Mum Bett, escaped slavery in a way that was unusual: she took her case to court. She approached lawyer Theodore Sedgewick with this question: "I heard that paper read yesterday that says 'all men are born equal,' and that every man has a right to freedom ... won't the law give me my freedom?" Appealing to her natural rights and her rights under the Massachusetts Constitution of 1780, she sued for her freedom and won.
60-Second Civics, Episode 5324, March 6, 2025 (a rebroadcast of Episode 4274: March 4, 2021)
Subscribe and take the Daily Civics Quiz at http://civiced.org/60-second-civics
POP QUIZ:
USCIS 100:60. What group of people was taken to America and sold as slaves?
USCIS 100:09. What are two rights in the Declaration of Independence?
USCIS 100:37. What does the judicial branch do?
Learn more:
Wednesday, March 12, 2025
2024-2025 MAE Citizenship Class 22
Business Insider: How The US Map Has Changed In 200 Years
This is the sixth class of our new semester.
- Future Citizenship: US Expands; The Civil War; pg 23-26; Unit 2:2, 2:3 pg 142-145
- 06 Practice Citizenship Interview based on the USCIS Form N-400 (2024)
- Name Two or More quiz
- América Griselda Ayes (Tegucigalpa, Honduras)
- Preparing for the Oath: 1800s
Learn more:
- US Citizenship Resources for Women's History Month post
Tuesday, March 11, 2025
Ona Judge
Center for Civic Education: Ona Judge
Ona Judge escaped George and Martha Washington's household, where she was an enslaved housemaid, and made her way to Portsmouth, New Hampshire, where she eluded George Washington's determined attempts to capture her. She made a new life for herself in New Hampshire, marrying and having three children. Her side of her remarkable story survives because she gave interviews to at least two abolitionist newspapers.
POP QUIZ:
USCIS 100:60. What group of people was taken to America and sold as slaves?
USCIS 100:64. There were 13 original states. Name three.
USCIS 100:70. Who was the first President?*
USCIS 100:74. Name one problem that led to the Civil War.
USCIS 100:55. What are two ways that Americans can participate in their democracy?
Monday, March 10, 2025
Harriet Tubman Day
Harriet Tubman Day is an American holiday in honor of the anti-slavery activist Harriet Tubman, observed on March 10 in the whole country, and in the U.S. state of New York. Observances also occur locally around the U.S. state of Maryland.
TED-ED: The breathtaking courage of Harriet Tubman - Janell Hobson
Take a closer look at the life of escaped slave and American icon Harriet Tubman, who liberated over 700 enslaved people using the Underground Railroad.
Escaping slavery; risking everything to save her family; leading a military raid; championing the cause of women’s suffrage; these are just a handful of the accomplishments of one of America’s most courageous heroes. Janell Hobson details Harriet Tubman's many fights for freedom.
Lesson by Janell Hobson, directed by Yan Dan Wong.
POP Quiz
60. What group of people was taken to America and sold as slaves?
92. Name one state that borders Canada.
73. Name the U.S. war between the North and the South.
74. Name one problem that led to the Civil War.
76. What did the Emancipation Proclamation do?
48. There are four amendments to the Constitution about who can vote. Describe one of them.
77. What did Susan B. Anthony and Harriet Tubman do?
55. What are two ways that Americans can participate in their democracy?
TED-ED: The breathtaking courage of Harriet Tubman - Janell Hobson
Take a closer look at the life of escaped slave and American icon Harriet Tubman, who liberated over 700 enslaved people using the Underground Railroad.
Escaping slavery; risking everything to save her family; leading a military raid; championing the cause of women’s suffrage; these are just a handful of the accomplishments of one of America’s most courageous heroes. Janell Hobson details Harriet Tubman's many fights for freedom.
Lesson by Janell Hobson, directed by Yan Dan Wong.
POP Quiz
60. What group of people was taken to America and sold as slaves?
92. Name one state that borders Canada.
73. Name the U.S. war between the North and the South.
74. Name one problem that led to the Civil War.
76. What did the Emancipation Proclamation do?
48. There are four amendments to the Constitution about who can vote. Describe one of them.
77. What did Susan B. Anthony and Harriet Tubman do?
55. What are two ways that Americans can participate in their democracy?
Connect Historical Figures Life Lesson to Adult Students’ Lives through Generative AI Interviews (full article)
Immigrant students are required to learn about important American historical figures with whom they do not share a cultural or emotional connection. Putting the name and face of American hero on a classroom poster, street sign, or dollar bill is no guarantee that a student will understand the values and historical contributions that are being honored. The key is to find common experiences and struggles that resonate across culture. How many of our adult learners have been denied opportunities because of their country of origin just as Washington was denied a career in the British military because he was colonial-born? How many of our students are still walking, like Harriet Tubman, even though they have crossed over to a “free state?” Teaching students how to use generative AI tools may help students connect on multiple levels.
The initial lesson generated by Humy.AI-generated Harriet Tubman Interview was too juvenile in tone for an intermediate-level English literacy level adult students. Adapting the example from Google Applied Digital Skills: Introduction to Research and Interview a Person from History and supplementing with graphics from NPS.gov: Underground Railroad, more fully informed students of hard details of Tubman’s life. They began to see parallels between her escape and their own immigration journey. Students extended both the historical research and digital skills objectives by submitting the first two interview questions from the above Google Applied Digital Skills: Harriet Tubman plus added their own clarification questions) to Humy AI Chat with Harriet Tubman which was able to convey to communicate the emotional content that was hidden behind the text and graphics. Because the novelty of using a generative AI chatbot exposed common ground of growth, loss, and the need to carry-on, students emerged from the Humy.AI interview (source: interview transcript) with a much deeper connection with their adopted culture, not only with the historical figure, Harriet Tubman, but with each other.
Learn more:
- Back Story: Harriet Tubman Day
- Harriet Tubman: Harriet Tubman Day
- Harriet Tubman Byway: Story and Events
- US Mint: Harriet Tubman Coins
- Wikipedia: Harriet Tubman Day
Saturday, March 8, 2025
Thursday, March 6, 2025
Coverture and the Colonial Era
Center for Civic Education: Coverture and the Colonial Era
March is Women's History Month! All this month, 60-Second Civics will explain the struggle for equal rights for women and how our Constitution and laws evolved to make our nation a more representative democracy.
In this episode, A married woman living during the American colonial era would have lived under the legal doctrine called "coverture," where her legal identity was subsumed under that of her husband. William Blackstone wrote, "By marriage, the husband and wife are one person in the law: that is, the very being or legal existence of the woman is suspended during the marriage, or at least is incorporated and consolidated into that of the husband: under whose wing, protection, and cover, she performs every thing." This was governed by colonial law before independence and state law after independence. It would not change substantially after the Revolution in most states, but divorce and child custody laws would change.
Also watch New York Historical: What is Coverture? (WAMS E01)
Wednesday, March 5, 2025
2024-2025 MAE Citizenship Class 21
Khan Academy: Benjamin Franklin as diplomat | US History
This is the fifth class of our new semester.
- Future Citizenship: Greetings and Shaking Hands 140-141; George Washington and Benjamin Franklin 19-22
- 05 Practice Citizenship Interview based on the USCIS Form N-400 (2024)
- Numbers quiz
- C-1 Interview
- Preparing for the Oath: Famous Citizens
Learn more:
- US Citizenship Resources for Women's History Month post
Tuesday, March 4, 2025
The Struggle for Equality
Center for Civic Education: The Struggle for Equality
March is Women's History Month! All this month, 60-Second Civics will explain the struggle for equal rights for women and how our Constitution and laws evolved to make our nation a more representative democracy. In this episode, we briefly trace the struggle of women for equal voting rights in the United States.
Monday, March 3, 2025
U.S. Citizenship Resources for Women's History Month
Happy Women's History Month! (updated 2025-03-01)
Resources
- WomensHistoryMonth.gov 2025
- ACLU: Major Supreme Court Decisions On Women's Rights pdf
- AmericanEnglish.state.gov: Women's History Month pdf
- CivicEd: Women's History Month page
- Click View: What is International Women's Day video
- Women in the 19th Century: Crash Course US History #16 (video)
- Crash Course: Women's Suffrage: Crash Course US History #31 video
- DOD.gov: Celebrating Women's History Month video
- DOL.gov: Women's History Month
- EL Civics: National Women's History Month
- ESL Library: International Women's Day (new beginning LP plus more lessons)
- Five Minded: The History of International Women's Day video
- Google Arts and Culture: New Beginnings: Immigrant Women and The American Experience
- House.gov: Women in Congress
- iCivics: Women's History Month
- National Women's History Museum: Online Exhibits
- NPS.gov: Woman's Suffrage History Timeline
- SI.edu Postal Museum: Women on Stamps Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4
- State.gov: Secretary of State's International Women of Courage Award
- TED-ed: Well-behaved women seldom make history video playlist
- TED-ed: The historic women’s suffrage march on Washington - Michelle Mehrtens video
- TED-ed: Who were Las Mariposas, and why were they murdered? - Lisa Krause video
- UN: Women's Footprint in History: Interactive Timeline
- UN Women: A global history of women’s rights, in 3 minutes video
- US Courts: Women's History Month
- US Mint: American Women Quarters™ Program page
- USPS: Women on Stamps pdf
- WomensHistoryMonth.gov: March is Women's History Month
- 21 Extraordinary Women Honored with Courage Award 2021
- 100th Anniversary of US Women’s Voting Rights 2020
- For 200 Years Women Fought for Their Rights in the US (2020)
- Equal Pay Reminder of Pay Disparity Between Men, Women 2022
- Pioneers of Women's Voting Rights Highlighted in New Exhibit (2020)
- VOA Special Report: Suffragist Village
uscitizenpod: PDFs and Podcasts
- American Women who Fought for the Right to Vote mp3 / pdf
- Eight Outstanding Americans by Choice for International Women’s Day! podcast / pdf
- Four American Women in Honor of Women’s History Month pdf
- International Women's Day pdf
- Women and USCIS 100 Questions: Civics mp3 pdf
- Women in the Executive Branch podcast / pdf
- Women in the Legislative Branch Quiz podcast / pdf (fixed)
- Women in the Judicial Branch podcast / pdf
- Azucena Guevara’s First Practice U.S. Citizenship Interview (video)
- Elvia Velázquez’s Practice U.S. Citizenship Interview video
- Maria Flores’ Practice U.S. Citizenship Interview (video)
- Martha Arroyo Orozco’s Practice U.S. Citizenship Interview (video)
- Maya Gomes (Guatemala)’s Practice U.S. Citizenship Interview Part 1 (video) (podcast)
- Maya Gomes (Guatemala)’s Practice U.S. Citizenship Interview Part 2 (video) (podcast)
- Nga Tran's U.S. Citizenship Interview video
- Patrice Lumumba (Senegal)’s Practice U.S. Citizenship Interview (video) (podcast)
- La Entrevista de Ciudadanía en Español con audio mejorado video
- Thao Nguyen: Happy New Year, Happy New U.S. Citizen! video
- Thi Nhung Phan's Practice U.S. Citizenship Interview (video)
- Thi Nhung Phan's Second Practice U.S. Citizenship Interview video
- Thien Thi Kim Phan’s Practice U.S. Citizenship Interview video
- Thuy Thu Pham’s Practice Citizenship Interview (video)
- Thuan Thi Dieu Vo's Practice U.S. Citizenship Interview video
- Thuan nói về cuộc phỏng vấn thi công dân Hoa Kỳ của cô video
- Yinghong Xu’s Practice U.S. Citizenship Interview (video) (podcast)
Family Fun!
- Classroom Doodles: Women's History Month
- Education: Women's History Month Worksheets and Printables (4 pages)
- Highlights Along the Way: Women's History Month
Sunday, March 2, 2025
Toledo welcomes 40 new US citizens in naturalization ceremony
The ceremony at the Main Library in downtown Toledo was led by Magistrate Judge Darrell Clay.
Saturday, March 1, 2025
U.S. Citizenship Resources for Ramadan
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Videos
- Muslim American Citizenship Interviews and more! playlist (90+ videos)
- 2019 Citizenship Interview with Nahil Ireiqat (Jerusalem) and Juana Garcia (Mexico) video
- 2018 Citizenship Interview with Nahil Ireiqat (Jerusalem) and Josefina Rios (Mexico) mp3 video
- 2018 Spring U.S. Citizenship Interview with Pari Akbari, Iran mp3 / video
- Blessed Eid al-Adha! (video)
- Interview with Samia Amed (Yemen) video / mp3
- Happy Spring, Happy New Citizen with Fariba video
- Milpitas Adult School Open House Citizenship Interview 1 (Teacher Nahil / Palestine) (video)
- Milpitas Adult School Open House Citizenship Interview 2 (Kasim / Bangladesh) (video)
- MST Saleha Khatun’s First Practice Citizenship Interview video
- New US Citizen Minire Karamanaga (Bosnia/Yugoslavia) (2010) video
- New US Citizen Sardar Habibi (Afghanistan) (English) (video)
- New US Citizen Sardar Habibi (Afghanistan) (Farsi) (video)
- Practice! Practice! Practice! (video)
- Tasleem's First Practice Interview (Pakistan) video
- Tasleem's Second Practice Interview (Pakistan) video
- 2015 USCIS 100 Remix Round 1 Twos with Tasleem (Pakistan) video
- Tasleem Khaldoon talks about her Citizenship Interview (Pakistan) video
- 2018 Citizenship Interview with Nahil Ireiqat (Jerusalem) and Josefina Rios (Mexico) mp3 video
- 2018 Spring U.S. Citizenship Interview with Pari Akbari, Iran mp3 / video
- 2016 Spring Citizenship Interview with Ali Akbari (Malyasia/Iran) (2016) mp3
- An "Everyday" Citizenship Interview with Munni Thakkar (Mumbai, India) (2016) mp3
- A Basic Citizenship Interview with Pari Akibari (Esfahan, Iran) (2007) (mp3)
- Interview with Samia Amed (Yemen) video / mp3
Quizzes (pdf)
- A Citizenship Quiz for the Month of Ramadan pdf mp3 video
- Citizenship Interview Quiz for Esam Omeish (Liberia) pdf
- Citizenship Interview Quiz for Hushang Ansary (Iran) pdf
- Citizenship Interview Quiz for Louay Safi pdf
- Citizenship Interview Quiz for Mohamed Awad Elhassan pdf
- Citizenship Interview Quiz for Nimco Ahmed (Libya) pdf
- Citizenship Interview Quiz for Rend al-Rahim (Iraq) pdf
- Citizenship Interview Quiz for Safa Aldabyani (Yemen) pdf
VOA News (There are so many videos and articles--please search for more)
- Ramadan Prayers at the Grand Mosque in Mecca (2022)
- 2019 Challenges of Observing Ramadan in Non-Muslim Countries (article and videos)
- Explainer: What is Ramadan? (2024)
- Faith in Freedom: The Journey of Muslim American Candidates (2016)
- Latinas Converting to Islam for Identity, Structure (2014)
- Non-Muslim Teacher Fasts During Ramadan to Support Muslim Student (2019)
- People of Different Faiths Unite for Muslim Ramadan Meal (2018)
- Ramadan in the United States
- Time Lapse of 2019 Hajj Pilgrimage in Mecca (2019)
- US Muslims Celebrate Ramadan in Different Ways (2018)
PBS
- American Muslims: A History Revealed video playlist; A series of six short documentary films that reveal and explore the early history of Muslims in America. The series is hosted by three leading American Muslim journalists: Malika Bilal, Aymann Ismail, and Asma Khalid. Over the course of the series, they travel the country to piece together stories spanning over 200 years. from the first Muslims to arrive as enslaved people from Africa to the establishment of early South Asian, Syrian-Lebanese, and Black American Muslim communities. The series weaves key moments in U.S. history with the unexpected but essential story threads of Muslims whose lived experiences offer us new insight into how race, religion, and nationality are intertwined in the American fabric.
Arabic
- USCIS Arabic Resources
- USCIS Arabic Naturalization Process Presentation video
- ACLU Know Your Rights pdf
- ACLU: Know Your Rights: Discrimination Against Immigrants and Muslims
- Ameera Math Is Fun: Yes/No Questions Form N400 (Arabic and English) playlist (added 4/26/2020)
- AmeerUSA: Interview questions for the us citizenship test 2024
- CA.gov: Arabic / English Legal Glossary
- Justice.gov: Know Your Rights in Arabic
- LEP.gov: Arabic Resources
- LOC.gov: Omar Ibn Said Collection
- MedicinePlus.gov: Arabic Resources
- uscitizenpod: U.S. Citizenship Resources for Arab American Heritage Month
- VOA Arabic
- USCIS: Farsi Naturalization Process Presentation video
- CLINIC: 100 Civics Questions in Farsi
- ACLU: Immigrants' Rights: What To Do If Stopped (IN FARSI) (video)
- ACLU: What To Do When Faced With Anti-Muslim Discrimination (in Farsi) (video)
- CA DMV: California Driver Handbook (pdf)
- John Q. Khosravi Law Firm (JQK Law Firm): Naturalization video playlist
- MedicinePlus: Health Information in Farsi (فارسی) (web page)
- SSA: Social Security Resources in Farsi (web page)
- uscitizenpod: Citizenship Resources for Nowruz 2018 (blog post)
- VOA Farsi
- USCIS Urdu Resources Page
- ACLU: What to do if you are an immigrant stopped by law enforcement agents
- CLINIC: 100 Questions in Urdu
- CA.gov: Urdu / English Legal Glossary 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6
- Penguin House Radio: Citizenship Test Prep in Urdu: Part 1-5 [اردو میں امریکی شہریت کے امتحان کی آسان تیاری: پہلا حصہ]
- VOA Urdu
- Citizenship by Language for Citizenship Resources organized by language.
- Citizenship by Country for Citizenship Resources organized by country of origin.
Updated 2025-03-01; Check back for more resources!
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