Church Membership and Barber's License for "George" Yuke Kee Lee

Church Membership and Barber's License for "George" Yuke Kee Lee

"George" Yuke Kee Lee

As part of the naturalization process, proof of entry into the United States was required. Since this was not regularized until July 1924, those who had entered the country before then had to submit an application to create a record of admission. In order to acquire this record of admission, a person had to include documentation that attested not only to their continued residence in the U.S. since before 1924, but also that they were a person of “good moral character.”

To this end, “George” Yuke Kee Lee submitted as part of his application for a record of admission a record from the First Baptist Church of Sacramento in May of 1924 and his current 1957-1958 barber’s license. The first establishes both his presence in California since before the regularization of arrival records and his moral character according to prevailing American norms. In the same way, his barber’s license attests to his ability to hold down employment in a skilled trade and re-apply for his license annually. For INS officials, these documents, together with the affidavits from his friends and employers, would paint the picture of a good, hard-working, almost-American man.

U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS)

U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA)

U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA)

Church membership certificate issued in 1924
Barber's license issued in August 1957
Photocopy made for A-file in 1957

First Baptist Church of Sacramento
California Board of Barber Examiners

Public Domain

photocopy of original documents

Paper certificates, later photocopied