Annual Independence Day Naturalization Ceremony at NYPL Celebrates 40 New Citizens of the United States

Representing 25 countries—and including 9 active members of the US military—the new Americans were naturalized by United States Citizenship and Immigration Services at The New York Public Library’s central circulating branch

The Independence Day ceremonies have been a tradition between the Library and USCIS since 2014

At a special Independence Day naturalization ceremony held yesterday, 40 immigrants from 25 countries became American citizens at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library, The New York Public Library’s central circulating branch in midtown Manhattan. USCIS has partnered with The New York Public Library on Independence Day ceremonies in New York City since 2014. 

The newest citizens, largely from Manhattan and the Bronx—and including 9 active members of the US military—come from Australia, Bangladesh, Belarus, Canada, China, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ghana, Haiti, India, Iran, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Kosovo, Mali, Mexico, Nepal, Philippines, Russia, Rwanda, St. Lucia, Taiwan, Turkey and United Kingdom. 

This year’s ceremony was the third held at the Library’s central circulating branch, The Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library (SNFL) at 455 Fifth Avenue, which officially opened in June 2021 following a transformative renovation. The ceremony took place in the building’s rooftop programming space overlooking midtown Manhattan.

USCIS New York Director Tamika S. Gray administered the Oath of Allegiance and New York Public Library President Anthony W. Marx made welcome remarks

“Welcoming 40 New Yorkers as new U.S. citizens is the perfect way to honor the anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the document that asserts the rights we enjoy today – including the right to strengthen our nation by naturalizing new citizens,” said USCIS New York District Director Tamika S. Gray. “We are grateful to the NYPL for again providing us such a wonderful venue to welcome them before their very first Independence Day as Americans.”

“The annual Independence Day naturalization ceremony we host with USCIS is a wonderful reflection of the vibrancy of New York City and I can think of no better place to welcome new citizens than The New York Public Library,” said President of The New York Public Library Anthony W. Marx. “For over 125 years, the Library has offered free access to knowledge and opportunity, supporting the very foundation of our democracy—that of an informed citizenry. We appreciate working with USCIS on this annual event. It is an honor to see today’s participants embrace their new home and we’re grateful to be part of their story, which so beautifully celebrates our nation’s birthday.”

The Library first hosted an Independence Day ceremony with USCIS in 2014; with the exception of a few years—including 2020 because of the pandemic—the two have partnered to make the ceremony an annual tradition. NYPL—which offers education, information, and opportunity to all New Yorkers—also provides support throughout the year to immigrants, non-English speakers, and aspiring citizens through ESOL and citizenship classes, resources to prepare for citizenship, and more. 

In addition to the ceremony, the Library is celebrating the nation’s birthday throughout July with its free Polonsky Exhibition of The New York Public Library’s Treasures, which includes several rare documents tied to the country’s founding:

• A copy of the Declaration of Independence that Thomas Jefferson hand-wrote to send to a select group of friends. The copy includes several passages that were removed at ratification; Jefferson underlines them to highlight his original text. 
• The first printing of the Constitution of the United States (in the country’s first daily newspaper)
• An original, handwritten copy of the Bill of Rights

Please note the Library is closed on Tuesday, July 4. 

About The New York Public Library

For over 125 years, The New York Public Library has been a free provider of education and information for the people of New York and beyond. With 92 locations—including research and branch libraries—throughout the Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island, the Library offers free materials, computer access, classes, exhibitions, programming and more to everyone from toddlers to scholars, and has seen record numbers of attendance and circulation in recent years. The New York Public Library receives approximately 16 million visits through its doors annually and millions more around the globe who use its resources at www.nypl.org. To offer this wide array of free programming, The New York Public Library relies on both public and private funding. Learn more about how to support the Library at nypl.org/support.