The Book

A Nation of Nations

Tom Gjelten

Tom Gjelten

  • National Book Festival, DC

    5th Sep 2015 2:35:pm
    Washington Convention Center
    801 Mt Vernon Place NW 20001

    “Melting Pot America” discussion and Book Signing.

    2:35pm – 3:20pm -  “Melting Pot America” discussion
    3:30pm – 4:30pm   - Book Signing.

    More information >

  • National Immigration Forum, DC

    29th Sep 2015 8:30:am
    National Press Club/Holeman Lounge
    529 14th St. NW 20045

    Tom was a featured panelist and presented his book at a forum titled "America's Potential: The Next 50 Years of the 1965 Immigration Act."

    More information>

  • Migration Policy Institute, DC

    30th Sep 2015 9:30:am
    Dirksen Senate Ofc Bldg, Rm 50
    Constitution Ave & 1st St, NE

    Tom participated in a panel discussion entitled "The Immigration Act of 1965: Then and Now."

    Watch the program>

  • LBJ Library, TX

    1st Oct 2015 4:45:pm
    LBJ Presidential Library
    2313 Red River Street 78705

    In commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 signed by President Lyndon Johnson, the LBJ Presidential Library presented a discussion on immigration: how it shapes our country, influences the American economy, and the important immigration issues we face today.  Tom was on a panel with Bill Hammond and Dr. Victoria DeFrancesco Soto.

    Watch the program >

  • JFK Presidential Library, MA

    3rd Oct 2015 2:00:pm
    JFK Presidential Library
    Columbia Point 02125

    To mark the 50th anniversary of the Immigration and Naturalization Act of 1965, Tom discussed A Nation of Nations: A Great American Immigration Story with Boston Globe reporter Marcela Garcia.

    Video pending >

     

  • Politics and Prose Bookstore, DC

    31st Oct 2015 6:00:pm
    Politics & Prose Bookstore
    5015 Connecticut Ave, NW 20008

    Tom will tell stories from A Nation of Nations  and the reporting that went into it and sign books.

  • National Press Club Book Fair & Authors’ Night – Washington, DC

    17th Nov 2015 4:30:pm
    Natl Press Club
    529 14th St NW, 13th floor

    Tom will be participating in the National Press Club's annual Book Fair & Authors' Night. Meet him and other authors and get your books signed.

    Ticket and event information>

  • Common Good Books- St. Paul, MN

    23rd Nov 2015 7:00:pm
    Common Good Books
    38 S Snelling Ave 55105

    Tom will sign books and share stories of how America has been transformed by immigration since 1965.

    More information>

  • Woman’s National Democratic Club, Washington, DC

    1st Dec 2015 11:30:am
    Woman's National Democratic Club
    1526 New Hampshire Avenue, NW 20036

    Tom will discuss the significance of the 1965 Immigration Act and the demographic transformation of America that followed from it. His book A Nation of Nations: A Great American Immigration Story will be for sale, and Tom will sign copies.

    More information>

  • Americas Society/Council of the Americas, DC

    9th Dec 2015 4:00:pm
    Council of the Americas
    1615 L St, NW Suite 250

    A public discussion of A Nation of Nations, with special attention to immigration from Latin America and the Caribbean and how it was affected by the 1965 Immigration Act.

    More information>

  • Northern Virginia Literacy Council, Arlington, VA

    10th Dec 2015 7:00:pm
    Arlington Central Library
    1015 N Quincy Street 22201

    Hear Tom discuss A Nation of Nations: A Great American Immigration Story and the reporting behind it. Mark Keam, a Korean-American immigrant and one of the featured characters in Tom's book, will be a special guest. Tom's books will be on sale, and he will be signing copies.

    More information>

  • Virginia Festival for the Book, Charlottesville, VA

    16th Mar 2016
    Virginia Foundation for the Humanities
    145 Ednam Drive 22903

    Tom will be a featured author at the Virginia Festival of the Book in Charlottesville, VA.

    More information>

  • 2016 Fall for the Book Festival, Burke VA, VA

    28th Sep 2016 7:00:pm
    King Park Library
    9000 Burke Lake Rd 22015

    fallforthebooklogo-2014

     

     

     

    Tom will be discussing A Nation of Nations at the 2016 Fall for the Book Festival, organized by the City of Fairfax VA and George Mason University. The presentation will include a slide show, including audio clips, featuring the story of the 1965 Immigration Act and excerpts from recorded interviews with key characters in the book.

    More information>

     

  • Great Decisions Conference – Minneapolis, MN

    4th Nov 2016 9:00:am
    Minneapolis Central Library
    300 Nicollet Mall

    Tom will be discussing A Nation of Nations and broader migration issues as the keynote speaker at the 2016 Great Decisions Conference in Minneapolis

     

     

  • Sandy Spring Museum – History Happy Hour, MD

    10th Nov 2016 7:00:pm
    Sandy Spring Museum
    17901 Bentley Road 20860

    Tom will be presenting A Nation of Nations for the "History Happy Hour" at the Sandy Spring Museum in Sandy Spring MD.

  • Lafayette College, Easton, PA

    14th Nov 2016 7:00:pm
    Lafayette College
    Kirby Hall of Civil Rights 18042

    Tom will speak as part of the Social Justice Lecture Series at Lafayette College. His topic will be "Being American in a Colored America."

  • Livonia Town Hall – Livonia, MI

    16th Nov 2016 10:30:am
    St. Mary's Cultural Center
    18100 Merriman Road 48152

    Tom will be the guest at the Livonia Town Hall Speaker Series in Livonia, MI. He will address pressing national and international issues in the aftermath of the presidential election.

  • Univ of California, Davis, CA

    2nd Mar 2017 9:30:am
    UC Davis Conference Center
    550 Alumni Lane 95616

    Tom will be the plenary speaker at the Migrant Labor and Global Health Conference, sponsored by  the Migration Research Center at University of California, Davis.

Immigration Stories

Norway

Like most Americans, Tom Gjelten comes from an immigrant family. His grandfather, Nicolai Ordahl, was born and raised on a farm in Norway.

The Alarcón boys

Victor Alarcón, Sr., followed his sisters-in-law to the United States even though he had no contacts there and spoke no English.

Anwar Omeish

Muslims are now one of the fastest growing immigrant groups in the USA.