Twenty-six men and women from 19 countries all over the world will become American citizens on Thursday in Kinston.
The citizenship ceremony will take place on the grounds of Kinston’s Historic Harmony Hall at 10 a.m., and the public is invited to attend. It’ll be the ninth ceremony the Lenoir County Historical Association has hosted at Harmony Hall, 109 E. King St.
Chief Judge James C. Dever III, of the Eastern District, U.S. Federal Court, will preside over the court proceedings with U.S. Rep. Walter Jones, D-N.C., also participating. Jones has attended each Naturalization and Granting of Citizenship ceremony every Independence Day in Kinston since the first one in 2005.
One of the guest speakers will be retired Kinston physician Dr. Max Kasselt, who received his citizenship at this event on July 4, 2007. His wife Gisela also became a U.S. citizen in the same ceremony.
Troop 41 of the Boy Scouts of America will provide a color guard for the ceremonies, and retired USAF Senior Master Sgt. Jerry Hannah will perform the National Anthem.
In a list provided by immigration services within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, there will be 26 candidates for citizenship in Thursday’s ceremony. The candidates come from Brazil, Burma, Canada, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Congo-Kinshasa, Dominican Republic, Ethiopia, India, Jordan, Malaysia, Mexico, Nigeria, Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand, Togo, Turkey, Vietnam and Yemen.
A reception for the new citizens will follow the ceremony and they will be acknowledged at the Sand in the Streets concert to be held at later in the day at 6 p.m. in Pearson Park.
For more information about the ceremony or the concert, contact Pride of Kinston Director Adrian King at 252-522-8003.
Want to attend?
-The ninth annual Naturalization and Granting of Citizenship ceremony will be held this week:
-Where: Historic Harmony Hall, 109 E. King St., Kinston
-When: 10 a.m., Thursday, July 4
-For more information: Call Adrian King at 252-522-8003