The Department of History, RU-NB, Rutgers Center for Immigrant Justice and Global Asias present:
A talk by
Sonia C. Gomez
Assistant Professor of History
Santa Clara University
Marriage, Migration, and the U.S. Military in the Pacific
Marriage and intimacy are frequently overlooked in the study of U.S. immigration. In this talk, historian Sonia C. Gomez will explore how marriage shaped immigration patterns for the Japanese in America. During the period of racial exclusion (1908-1952}, intimacy created limited pathways of admission for Japanese women. Permitted to enter the U.S. as wives, their inclusion served broader American interests in the Pacific, setting a precedent for later immigration legislation that privileged spouses and fiances. This presentation will shed light on the intersection between intimacy, immigration, and U.S. imperialism in the Pacific.
February 23, 2026 (Monday), 4:00 PM
Teleconference/Lecture Hall, Alexander Library
Co-sponsored by Rutgers University Libraries