Summary

FOUR YEARS AFTER THEY FLED HAITI TO ESCAPE POLITICAL TURMOIL 27 HAITIAN CHILDREN RANGING FROM AGE 4 TO 16 BECAME U.S. CITIZENS TUESDAY IN A SPECIAL CEREMONY AT ELIZABETHTOWN IND. "GETTING TO BE A CITIZEN IS THE BEST THING THAT I GOT FOR CHRISTMAS '' SAID A GLEEFUL ROSIE BLACKBURN 16. ROSIE WAS ONE OF 28 HAITIAN CHILDREN ADOPTED EARLIER THIS YEAR BY DAN AND KATHY BLACKBURN FORMER MISSIONARIES TO THE CARIBBEAN ISLAND NATION. THE BLACKBURNS SPIRITED THEM OUT OF HAITI TO ESCAPE THE TURMOIL WHEN THE DUVALIER DICTATORSHIP COLLAPSED. ONE OF THE CHILDREN DID NOT QUALIFY FOR CITIZENSHIP BECAUSE SHE WAS ALREADY 16 WHEN THE ADOPTION WAS FINALIZED. SHE WILL BE ALLOWED TO REMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES INDEFINITELY.

Source CONUS Archive
Record ID 282590
Story Slug 27 HAITIAN KIDS BECOME AMERICANS
Location LOUISVILLE, KY
Format PKG
Date 12/24/1991
Archive Time 38:44
TRT 1:37
Supers KEN MARSHALL REPORTING NO SUPER FOR FIRST BITE DAN BLACKBURN, FATHER ROSEMARY BLACKBURN, DAUGHTER
Video Description VARIOUS SHOTS OF CHILDREN, SWEARING IN, SOTS.
Description FOUR YEARS AFTER THEY FLED HAITI TO ESCAPE POLITICAL TURMOIL 27 HAITIAN CHILDREN RANGING FROM AGE 4 TO 16 BECAME U.S. CITIZENS TUESDAY IN A SPECIAL CEREMONY AT ELIZABETHTOWN IND. "GETTING TO BE A CITIZEN IS THE BEST THING THAT I GOT FOR CHRISTMAS '' SAID A GLEEFUL ROSIE BLACKBURN 16. ROSIE WAS ONE OF 28 HAITIAN CHILDREN ADOPTED EARLIER THIS YEAR BY DAN AND KATHY BLACKBURN FORMER MISSIONARIES TO THE CARIBBEAN ISLAND NATION. THE BLACKBURNS SPIRITED THEM OUT OF HAITI TO ESCAPE THE TURMOIL WHEN THE DUVALIER DICTATORSHIP COLLAPSED. ONE OF THE CHILDREN DID NOT QUALIFY FOR CITIZENSHIP BECAUSE SHE WAS ALREADY 16 WHEN THE ADOPTION WAS FINALIZED. SHE WILL BE ALLOWED TO REMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES INDEFINITELY.
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