The Kellerman Foundation will host “Inventing Immigration Crisis in 19th Century Missouri” on January 4.

This second program in the U.S. Semiquincentennial series will feature historian Dr. Luke Ritter in an exploration of how 19th century Missourians “invented” an immigration crisis long before modern debates over the border. Drawing on newspapers, political rhetoric, and community reports, Dr. Ritter will examine how anxieties around immigrant communities were shaped, amplified, and used to advance cultural and political agendas.

The Kellerman Foundation proudly welcomes Dr. Luke Ritter, Ph.D. as part of our ongoing Speaker Series in preparation for America’s 250th celebration of freedom. His presentation, Inventing Immigration Crisis in 19th-Century Missouri, continues our commitment to meaningful historical reflection ahead of the nation’s 2026 Semiquincentennial.

Dr. Luke Ritter is Assistant Professor of American History at St. Louis Community College – Forest Park. He is the author of Inventing America’s First Immigration Crisis: Political Nativism in the Antebellum West (Fordham, 2021) and the editor of American Conspiracism: An Interdisciplinary Exploration (Routledge, 2024).

This program is made possible through The Kellerman Foundation’s grant award from the Missouri Humanities Council, titled From Colonies to Cape Girardeau: 250 Years of Independence, a contribution to Celebration 250 Missouri.

“Inventing Immigration Crisis” will take place on Sunday, January 4, from 2 to 4 p.m. at Kellerman-Lorimer Hall in Cape Girardeau.