LAWRENCE — When the YWCA was getting rid of documents of female immigrants who lived there, Eartha Dengler asked to keep them. So began a lifelong commitment to preserving the history of the city's immigrants for Dengler, an immigrant from Germany.
She started the Immigrant City Archives in a closet at the YWCA, before moving to the library on Parker Street, and later the old offices of the Essex Company. Now known as the Lawrence History Center, it has a collection of 750 oral histories, photographs, city records and documents.
On Tuesday, Dengler, 88, formerly of Andover, received the Outstanding American by Choice award from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, which recognizes contributions made by naturalized U.S. citizens. Past recipients include Elie Wiesel, author and Nobel Peace Prize winner and Gen. John Shalikashvili, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
— Yadira Betances
Why did you want to keep the YWCA records?
When the records became obsolete for the Y, they became important to me, and I wanted to keep them.
Was it easy to gather information at the beginning?
At first, people did not want to share their stories, but once they realized they were an important part of America, they started to bring materials, especially photos. They were so proud.
Where did you get your interest in history?
I always saw history as a natural part of my upbringing. My parents sparked the knowledge and interest, and I always liked to learn about new things. I liked feeling that you are at the scene of events and people that link you to other people and communities.
What does the award mean to you?
It's really for the archives and the many people who have provided assistance in maintaining the collection. I put the seed out there, and it bloomed. It was given to me, but it's truly for the archives and the work that they do.
What does history mean to you?
Everything. It's good to know your history, accept it, talk about it and treat it as a natural part of your life and background and not distance yourself from it. Your ethnic background and history is what makes you who you are today.
Is it harder today for people to keep their heritage and traditions alive?
If a person comes to America and sees that his culture is not worth keeping and their native language is not spoken because it's not appreciated, many may drop it. But when they see that their language and culture is appreciated by other groups and is an important part of history, many link up again and will stay connected to their old country.
