Naturalization is the process by which an alien becomes an American citizen. These records can provide a researcher with valuable information such as a person's birth date, birth location in the Old Country, occupation, immigration year, marital status, spouse information, and witnesses' names and addresses.

Naturalization and the individual steps to citizenship could be done at any court of record, of which there were five thousand in the United States. This presentation will help you learn where to look for U.S. naturalization and citizenship records, and how to use them.

Christine Cohen is a member of the Whittier Area Genealogical Society, California, and is currently the program director. She is also a member of the Tualatin Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, the Society of Daughters of Holland Dames, and the Association of Professional Genealogists.

Her interest in genealogy began in 1977 with the airing of the TV miniseries “Roots.” Her enthusiasm grew when she was given a typed pedigree chart, commissioned by her maternal grandfather, of the family's Dutch heritage from the New Netherlands in the 1650s. A Californian native, Christine has a degree from UCLA in political science and has recently retired to pursue her genealogy interests full time.

Members will receive the Zoom link and handout via email before the program. Guests are welcome. Please send a request for the Zoom link to president@ppgs.org.