News Release

Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site Welcomes 60 New U.S. Citizens from 35 Countries

Date: April 27, 2007

The United States District Court, District of Kansas, held naturalization proceedings in the auditorium of Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site on Friday, April 27, 2007. During the ceremony, 60 people from 35 different countries became new United States citizens. The Honorable Julie A. Robinson, U.S. District Court Judge, presided over the proceedings.

After they recited the Oath of Allegiance, attorney-at-law and naturalization chairman Pedro L. Irigonegaray welcomed the new citizens with the story of Mrs. Lucinda Todd, one of the 13 plaintiffs from Kansas in the Brown v. Board of Education case. Mementos of the event were provided by: the National Society of Colonial Dames of America in the State of Kansas; the Topeka Bar Association; and the Topeka, Prairie Flint Hills and John Haupt chapters of the Daughters of the American Revolution.