During the late 1910s and early '20s, immigrant workers at the Ford automotive plant in Dearborn, Michigan, were given free, compulsory Americanization classes. In addition to English lessons, there were lectures on work habits, personal hygiene, and table manners. The first sentence they memorized was I am a good American.
In the late 1910s and early 1920s, immigrant laborers at the Ford plant in Dearborn, Michigan participated in mandatory Americanization classes. These classes were designed to help immigrants assimilate into American culture, covering topics such as English language skills, appropriate work attitudes, personal hygiene, and etiquette at the dining table. This initiative aimed to integrate immigrant workers into the fabric of American society.
The primary focus of these classes was to instill a sense of American identity, with the phrase "I am a good American" being the first lesson memorized by participants. This reflects the cultural expectations placed on immigrants to adapt quickly and embrace the values of their new country, highlighting the complexities of cultural assimilation during this period.
