Guide to the Old Believers naturalization ceremonies recordings
1975, 1979
Collection number: HMC-0192.
Creator: unknown.
Title: Old Believers naturalization ceremonies recordings.
Dates: 1975, 1979.
Volume of collection: 0.01 cubic feet.
Language of materials: Recordings are primarily in English with some Russian.
Collection summary: Recordings of naturalization ceremonies for members of the Old Believers living in Alaska.
Organizational history:
The Old Believers are a religious group which fled Russia during the time of Czar Peter the Great to escape persecution for resisting his attempt to merge the Russian and Greek Orthodox Churches. Moving first to Siberia, small groups later moved in stages to Manchuria, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, and Turkey; they came to America in 1962 at the invitation of U.S. Attorney General Robert Kennedy, and settled in Oregon. A group of Old Believers moved to Alaska from Oregon in 1968 and established themselves on the Kenai Peninsula near Homer, and later on Kachemak Bay.The name Old Believers comes from their strict adherence to the old beliefs and customs of the Russian Orthodox Church. In 1975 and 1979 groups of Old Believers took the oath of citizenship and became American citizens.
Collection description: The collection consists of two audiocassettes: a recording of the 1975 naturalization ceremony and a recording of the 1979 naturalization ceremony.
Arrangement: The tapes are arranged chronologically.
Digitized copies: This collection has not been digitized. For information about obtaining digital copies, please contact Archives and Special Collections.
Rights note: Archives and Special Collections does not own copyright to the collection.
Preferred citation: Old Believers naturalization ceremonies recordings, Archives and Special Collections, Consortium Library, University of Alaska Anchorage.
Related materials: Archives and Special Collections holds the papers of Benjamin B. Talley (HMC-0442), who helped organize the ceremonies.
Acquisition note: The collection was presented to the archives by Benjamin Talley in 1981.
Processing information: This collection was described prior to 1991. The guide to the collection was updated to current standard by Gwen Higgins in 2018.