Lecture to examine Irish assimilation

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The Irish Cultural Society will host a free lecture by Dr. Meredith Linn, a historical archeologist, on Wednesday, Dec. 9 at 7:30 p.m. at the Garden City Library. She will discuss the cultural assimilation of Irish immigrants in New York City.

One of the many adjustments the mostly rural immigrants made was to manipulate their appearances to conform to American styles. The talk will focus on the ways that some Irish immigrants used cosmetic hair preparations to style new urban Irish-American identities.

Linn is an assistant professor in Barnard’s Urban Studies Program. She is also a member of the Seneca Valley Project team studying the Irish- and African-American community that existed in what is now Central Park.