This panel presents three papers showcasing the different and convoluted ways in which people become and interact with the idea of being American. These works all approach this central topic from separate angles and ethnic perspectives, such as Anglo-American immigration in Mexican-controlled Texas, Japanese-American labor struggles, and Arab-American immigration and identity. As well as coming at the topic with similar themes, such as building community, crafting identity, and navigation of immigration laws.

Our goal is to foster conversations about American identity, power structures, and the construction of a National identity. It is more important now than ever to center narratives that demonstrate the historical precedents of American xenophobia that are reflective of our current political climate. While the experiences of each group remain unique, but there are common threads that tie their stories together in the history of the American experience. The question we posit then is, how does the process of becoming an American differ for different communities at different times?