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Immigrant Ancestors and WWII Alien Registrations

Image: rawpixel   It never occurred to me that my immigrant ancestors who did not naturalize after they came to the United States would be considered aliens. But an Ancestry hint for my great-grandmother Catherine Cassidy Baker tipped me off to this fact and a new Ancestry collection as well. The Alien Registration Act of 1940 required any non-citizen entering and living within the U.S. to register within four months at a local post office. 1  The process included completing a questionnaire consisting of 15 questions and to be fingerprinted. This requirement allowed the U.S. government to know the whereabouts and activities of the resident aliens, including where they worked, what sorts of clubs or organizations they belonged to, etc., in an effort to stem any anti-American activities. It was also intended to protect individuals from suspicion or harassment from others who might have learned of their status as a non-citizen. In a statement upon signing the ...
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THE MOST FAMOUS PERSON I EVER MET

Happy New Year! Today, I am embarking on a 31 Days of Writing Family History Challenge. This year, I am challenged to write about a different person in my direct family line each day...beginning with me, weaving back and forth between my paternal and maternal lines, going back through my 2nd great grandparents. The total of all individuals will be exactly 31, filling each day of January 2022. Come along for some fun stories, cool photos and interesting family history.

 

January 1, 2022:   Me

By Nancy Gilbride Casey

Every once in a while, I see a Facebook post which asks, "Who is the most famous person you've ever met?" I have never answered it, though I have met a few. 

Back in the late 1980s I was living in New York City and pursuing my dream of dancing professionally. I was fortunate enough to be working for Mark Taylor & Friends, a small modern dance troupe based in Brooklyn.

We were deep into a lengthy rehearsal process to prepare a new work. That meant several months of choreography development, 3-5 days of rehearsal a week, each rehearsal about 2-3 hours long. We worked in a converted old building on lower Broadway, which offered large, light-filled, wooden-floored studios, perfect for spreading out into a stage-sized area. It was a popular rehearsal space for not only dance troupes, but theatre groups as well. Even some Broadway shows used the rehearsal spaces from time to time.

Each floor also had large men's and women's restroom/dressing area, and our company made use of that upon arriving to rehearsal to change into dance clothes. 

And so there I was on the day I met the most famous person I ever met. 

To be plain, I was using a restroom stall to change, and upon coming out, who do I nearly run into, also about to use the restroom...but Liza Minnelli!

Liza Minnelli publicity still, 1973.

The first thing that struck me was how truly tiny she was, well short of my 5'3" frame. And her eyes— those big, beautiful eyes of hers.

And she spoke! The daughter of Judy Garland, and so famous in her own right, spoke. To me! I believe the words were something to the effect of, "Hi. How are you?" I think I actually spoke some scintillating words back to the effect of, "Fine, and you?" If memory serves, a few other pleasantries were exchanged, and then she exited the dressing room. 

And that was that. 

I guess I shouldn't have been too surprised to see someone famous. After all, it was New York City. I had previously seen Robin Williams using a pay phone (remember those?) on the street, and I also once got into an elevator with Tommy Tune (I think it was in the same rehearsal building...). 

But since actual words were exchanged, I consider running into Liza Minnelli to be my most "famous person" encounter. And it happened in a restroom.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons. In the public domain.

 

Bonus Photo: A zillion years ago. Me (left) from New York City Tribune, 11 Jan 1989 review of Mark Taylor's "Xanadu/The Millions."






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