In Memoriam RockN
Certificate of Naturalization
On 30 March, 1926, my grandfather, Hagop Nalbandian, became a U.S. citizen. The only restriction on his citizenship was that he could not run for president. Otherwise he was as much an American as the president (at the time. Calvin Coolidge).
Only a few years prior, in 1923 the U.S. government brought into question whether Armenians could be naturalized. The criteria at the time was "free, white and twenty-one" and there was doubt as to whether Armenians, who originated in Asia, could be considered white. This threatened the citizenship of Armenians who had already been naturalized. The government initiated the test case of United States v. Cartozian in a federal court in Oregon. Cartozian, who had the benefit of being represented by a top Portland law firm prevailed and the U.S. government declined to appeal.
Certificate of Naturalization
On 30 March, 1926, my grandfather, Hagop Nalbandian, became a U.S. citizen. The only restriction on his citizenship was that he could not run for president. Otherwise he was as much an American as the president (at the time. Calvin Coolidge).
Only a few years prior, in 1923 the U.S. government brought into question whether Armenians could be naturalized. The criteria at the time was "free, white and twenty-one" and there was doubt as to whether Armenians, who originated in Asia, could be considered white. This threatened the citizenship of Armenians who had already been naturalized. The government initiated the test case of United States v. Cartozian in a federal court in Oregon. Cartozian, who had the benefit of being represented by a top Portland law firm prevailed and the U.S. government declined to appeal.