Multicultural mural on brick wall, Cedar Riverside

Immigration History Research Center

Transforming our understanding of immigration in the past and present.

Computer, microphone, and family documents

Immigrant Stories

Immigration Syllabus

Immigrants in COVID America

Immigrant Stories

Over 375 stories representing more than 50 different communities are now part of the Immigrant Stories Collection.

Immigrant Story: Liang Xiong

Immigrant Story: Thiago Heilman

Recent News

IHRC and HRP Collecting Stories for the Minnesota Truth Council

Your stories matter! Staff at the Immigration History Research Center and the Human Rights Program are collecting stories of Operation Metro Surge for the MN Truth Council…

UMN campus as seen from Coffman Memorial Union.

Congratulations to IHRC Summer Graduate Fellows

Congratulations to the four UMN graduate students who have been selected for 2026 IHRC Summer Graduate Fellowships. This competitive award supports projects on topics ranging…

Minnesota Star Tribune | A Political Shift in Language Regarding Immigration

Llana Barber, director of the Immigration History Research Center at the University of Minnesota, advises on the political weight our use of specific language holds.

Collage of photos and printed pieces reflecting immigrant languages and cultures

The IHRCA at 60 is showing how immigration shapes society

From indigenous roots to global waves, Minnesota’s story is a rich tapestry. See how the IHRCA’s 60 years of archives fuel innovative research on the immigrant experience.

Reframing the Narrative: Llana Barber on Centering Blackness in Immigration History

Llana Barber discusses reframing Black narratives in US immigration history and shattering the too-narrow lens through which these stories have been told.