Shew Persaud's Naturalization Petition

DESCRIPTION
Shew Persaud was born in Georgetown, Guiana's colonial capital, in 1881. After arriving in the United States on a ship that sailed via Barbados, he petitioned to become a U.S. citizen twice, in 1917 and 1924. The first time, he was working as a dishwasher and living in West Harlem, separated from his wife, who was still in British Guiana. When he petitioned the second time, he was working as an elevator operator, and he had lost his wife. He described himself in government documents as the widowed father of five children, ages 10 to 18, who were all living with him. The 1917 petition identifies him as "Black."

THEMES
Early Immigration

ADDITIONAL METADATA
Date: 1917
Type: Photograph
Source: Archival Creators Fellowship Program
Location: New York, NY

PROVENANCE
Collection: Gaiutra Bahadur Fellowship Project
Digitizer: Gaiutra Bahadur
Item History: 2020-10-26 (created); 2020-10-26 (modified)

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