On the historic Lexington Battle Green, 49 people became American citizens during a Naturalization Ceremony on Tuesday. (Photo Courtesy Lex250)
LEXINGTON — The Lexington History Museums and Lex250 Commission, in partnership with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, proudly hosted a moving Naturalization Ceremony today on Lexington’s historic Battle Green — the site where the first shots of the American Revolution rang out 250 years ago.
As the final official event of the town’s Patriots’ Day Weekend Commemoration, which celebrates 250 years since the Battle of Lexington, this morning’s ceremony welcomed a new generation of American citizens to the very ground where the fight for liberty began on April 19, 1775.
In total, 49 immigrants took the Oath of Allegiance — administered by Naturalization Clerk Erik Siebert — in front of their families, town officials, community leaders and hundreds of residents and visitors, marking a powerful and symbolic moment of unity, freedom and the enduring promise of the American dream.
“You’ve just taken an oath of loyalty to the Constitution,” said U.S. District Court District of Massachusetts Judge Paul G. Levenson. “This is a solemn, conscious commitment to America’s enduring principles and ideals. The Oath of Allegiance, which you’ve just recited, calls upon you to support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States against all enemies — foreign and domestic — and to bear true faith and allegiance to the same. You do not take an Oath of Allegiance to any person, to any political party or even to any state or local government. Your oath is to the Constitution, which has long been the cornerstone in the system of ordered liberty that has been the greatest treasure of this nation.”
The moving ceremony featured remarks from Craig Sandler, President of the Board of Directors for the Lexington History Museums; Cameron Hickey, a Lexington resident and CEO of the National Conference on Citizenship; historical context from Steve Cole Jr., Captain of the Lexington Minute Men; music by Epp Sonin, founder of the Lexington Music School; and a welcome to new citizens by naturalized citizen Sophia Ho, who shared her immigration story. The Lexington Minute Men Honor Guard presented the colors.
“Even in turbulent times, America still stands for freedom and opportunity and respect for people from all walks of life,” Sandler said. “The citizens of Lexington who fought here 250 years ago sparked a revolution based on the principles of equality and human rights. These principles are definitely still alive, and we reaffirm them here today.”
The Lexington History Museums believe that Tuesday’s group of citizens was the first to take the Oath of Allegiance on the hallowed ground of Lexington Green.
The 49 people naturalized on Tuesday represented the countries of Albania, Algeria, Brazil, Cape Verde, China, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Ethiopia, France, Germany, Ghana, Haiti, India, Iran, Ireland, Jamaica, Lebanon, Malawi, Morocco, Nepal, Poland, Romania, Sierra Leone, South Korea, Ukraine and Vietnam.
Two of the new citizens are active-duty military in the Army National Guard and Air Force Reserves, and three are Navy veterans.
Following the Naturalization Ceremony, the National Conference on Citizenship generously sponsored a welcome reception for the new citizens.
The event marked the culmination of the Lex250 2025 Patriots’ Day Weekend Commemoration. Over the last year, the town has held reenactments, educational programs, exhibits, lectures and community events as part of the Semiquincentennial Celebration. The celebration will continue into 2026, as the country celebrates 250 years of American Independence.
“Today, on this hallowed ground where the first steps toward American liberty were taken 250 years ago, we have witnessed a new chapter in our nation’s enduring story,” said Suzie Barry, Lex250 Commission Chair. “As 49 new citizens stood on the very soil where freedom was first defended, we were reminded that the promise of America continues to grow stronger with each person who chooses to call it home. This was the perfect conclusion to our Patriots’ Day Weekend commemorations celebrating 250 years since the American Revolution began with the Battle of Lexington.”
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The Lexington Minute Men Honor Guard presents the colors at the start of the Naturalization Ceremony. (Photo Courtesy Lex250)
U.S. District Court District of Massachusetts Judge Paul G. Levenson speaks to the new Americans during the Naturalization Ceremony. (Photo Courtesy Lex250)