Archives West Finding Aid

Book containing pledges dated 1920-1927 for an organization based in Bellingham, Washington. Pledge sheets contain names, address and occupations of individual members. Each individual pledge includes promises regarding a series of U.S. nativist and anti-immigrant concerns, including, "reading of the Holy Bible in the schools", the "landing upon our shores of the ignorant, the pauper and the criminal from the Old World", "stringent naturalization laws" and "to give the American-born the preference when-ever this can be done". The book was found in the basement of the building at 311 E. 300 E. Holly Street (formerly owned by the International Order of Odd Fellows). Although its precise origins are not certain, it is possible this is a record of pledge information for the Junior Order of the United American Mechanics.