University's Immigration History Research Center has been recognized by a White House council for outstanding contribution to the preservation of American history. The Immigration History Research Center, housed in an old coffee warehouse on Berry Street in St. Paul, is an official project of Save America's Treasures, a public-private partnership between the White House Millennium Council and the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The president and first lady launched the initiative to encourage communities to preserve their historical past.
Funding is provided for restoration and research projects.
Immigration center staff members were notified about the nomination in July. The designation has the potential to increase the center's donations. Officials from the treasures project will seek out groups willing to donate to the center and increase its national visibility. To qualify for the project designation, an organization must focus on historic preservation and operate as a state, local or nonprofit agency. The center, which archives historical material for more than 24 ethnic groups, is using the status to embark on an endowment campaign to become more financially sustainable, said Director Rudolph Vecoli.