A Spring Day of New Citizens at Independence Hall (May 1986)

On a spring day in May 1986, I sat in a place where American history wasn’t just remembered — it was felt.

That day, Independence Hall wasn’t simply a landmark for visitors. It was a living civic space. A room where people came to take the final step in becoming Americans — to raise their right hands and take the Oath of Citizenship.

I remember their faces as clearly as if it were yesterday: joy, pride, relief — and for many, tears. They had waited. They had done the work. They had come through the process the right way, step by step, for themselves and for their families.

And now, they were finally here.

Learn more about Independence Hall and its historic Assembly Room at the National Park Service’s official Independence National Historical Park page.

The historic Assembly Room at Independence Hall

Independence Hall is a historic civic building in Philadelphia where the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution were debated and adopted. It began as Pennsylvania’s State House, completed in 1733, and over time became a symbol of liberty, democracy, and the founding of the United States. During the Revolutionary era, the Second Continental Congress convened there, and the Constitutional Convention met there in 1787 to debate, draft, and ultimately complete the Constitution.

By the late 20th century, the world recognized what that building represents: Independence Hall was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979, in part because it is directly associated with ideas and events of universal significance — freedom, democratic government, and the rule of law.

My vantage point: the other side of the bar

What made the day unforgettable for me wasn’t only the history of the building — it was where I was sitting inside that room.

I was seated on the other side of the bar — and I mean “bar” in the way we understand it in a courtroom.

Just like a courtroom, there was a dividing line between the officials conducting the proceedings and the people who had come forward to seek something deeply serious and deeply meaningful. I was facing the people who had come to the bar of that historic setting to request that their citizenship be approved and granted.

And what struck me was how prepared they were.

They were asked questions — and every one of them, if called upon, would have answered. And answered correctly.

That matters. Because the knowledge they carried into that room wasn’t trivia. It was understanding — the basics of what this country is, what it stands for, and what the oath means.

The ceremony was presided over by the Honorable Norma L. Shapiro of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, the federal trial court serving Philadelphia and the surrounding region.

Families filled the benches — pride you could see

The benches were filled with families — spouses, parents, children — watching in silence as their loved ones took that final step. There was a stillness in the room that you can’t manufacture. It wasn’t a performance. It was a promise.

When the Honorable Norma L. Shapiro, United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, had them raise their hands to take the oath, you could feel the weight of the moment.

They were proud. They were grateful. They were ready.

The oath means one country, one commitment

When people try that hard to become citizens — and then finally become citizens — they understand something in their bones:

The oath they’ve taken is an oath to defend and serve the United States of America.

Not a political party.
Not a movement.
Not a moment in the news cycle.

It is one country. One people. One United States of America.

People from many countries, many colors, many religions — all standing together, all swearing that they would comply with and follow the laws of the United States of America.

And that’s the part that stayed with me: the clarity of it.

Citizenship is a responsibility, not a slogan.

Don’t take citizenship for granted

That day taught me something simple and important:

Citizenship must not be taken for granted.

Our country lives by rules and laws. The people in that room had come through the process, done what was required, waited their turn, and earned their moment — not just for themselves, but for their children and their children’s children.

And you could see it in their faces: gratitude, pride, and determination.

It made me think about what we should be teaching — and re-teaching — to every American: the basics of who we are, what the Constitution is, what rights mean, what responsibilities mean, and why this country is called the land of the free and the home of the brave.

Not as a talking point — as real civic knowledge.

Because civic strength isn’t built on noise. It’s built on understanding.

The South Philly example I’ve seen my whole life

I’ve seen this story close to home, too.

I watched families in my South Philly neighborhood come to America from Italy and do so well. They worked hard, saved money, built businesses, raised kids, and once a family got settled, they sponsored and helped other family members — and even neighbors — find work and build a life here.

We embraced those families. They were hardworking and working for a purpose: to feed their families, to feel safe, to build a future, and to become citizens of the greatest country in the world — the United States of America.

Families like the Sena family of LaFamiglia — rooted in hard work and respect for the process — reflect the same values I later described in Court Officials: The Forgotten Key to Silent Advocacy.

Forty years later, I still remember their faces

Forty years later, I still remember that spring day.

I remember the pride. The tears. The families who filled the benches. The calm power of the oath being spoken aloud inside Independence Hall.

And I remember what it reminded me of:

This country gives enormous opportunity — but it asks something in return: commitment, responsibility, and respect for the rule of law.

That’s what those new citizens brought into that room.

And I was honored to witness it.

SS