Who is Welcome? Race and U.S. Immigration Law

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Lynn Davidman presents a sociological overview of immigration from the 17th through 20th centuries.

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Join the Free Library of Philadelphia for a sociological overview of immigration from the 17th - 20th Century, presented by Lynn Davidman. Upcoming Dates: Saturday, October 31, 2026 Immigration Act of 1924 (Johnson-Reed Act). Set strict quotas based on national origins, effectively reducing immigration from southern/Eastern Europe and virtually banned Asian immigrants. Saturday, November 14, 2026 Modern Immigration Law One additional class to discuss contemporary immigration law, and its effects on society's perspective of immigration. Previous Dates: Saturday, September 5, 2026 Overview of Immigration This free lecture series will provide an overview of the history of immigration to the United States from the 1600’s to the present and discuss the legal, political and attitudinal reactions to immigrants over time. Saturday, September 19, 2026 Free White Persons in the Republic, 1790-1840 In the era of colonial immigration (pre-1776) immigration was mostly unregulated; Europeans came to this country and settled in colonies. Saturday, October 03, 2026 Chinese Exclusion Act (1882), Immigration Act of 1885, and Immigration Act of 1891. Through these legal actions the government established federal control over immigration. Saturday, October 17, 2026 Immigration Act of 1917 and the Emergency Quota Act. These laws restricted immigration from Asia and added numerical limits on immigration based on nationality. Northern and Western Europeans were favored.

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