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| History of IIB |
 The first International Institute was organized as
an experiment in 1911 in New York City under the sponsorship
of the YWCA to help immigrants. The picture at the right shows
Portuguese and Italian workers at a literacy class at the YWCA
circa 1910 (courtesy of the Cambridge YWCA collection,
Cambridge Historical Society). The movement spread to Newark
and Los Angeles in 1913, and, after World War I, to Lowell and
Lawrence, Massachusetts where large foreign-born populations
worked in textile mills. The International Institute of Boston
(IIB) was founded in 1924 at a time when the city was
experiencing a huge influx of immigrants in proportion to its
resident population.
In its early years, IIB served as
a hub for many ethnic clubs, providing a congenial atmosphere
for gatherings of new Americans. During the 1920’s, a strong
urge to conform to the American ethic led to the formation of
English and citizenship classes at IIB. When the Quota Act of
1924 terminated the large wave of immigration, social casework
developed to meet the needs of refugees and the issues that
arose around illegal entries and deportations. During the next
decade, a strong core of community supporters at IIB welcomed
an ongoing flow of refugees, including those from Hitler’s
Germany, Poland and Austria.
In 1936, IIB benefactor
Ellenor Cook Lane organized the first International Ball,
which was held annually until 1994 and was known as the city’s
oldest charity event. Organized by the IIB Board with the help
of numerous ethnic organizations, restaurants and performers,
this well-attended celebration of diversity remained a major
source of private support for the Institute over many
years.
 During World War II, the number of newly arrived
Bostonians decreased, so the Institute became involved in USO activities at its own
headquarters as well as at hospitals and bases around greater
Boston. When an interracial crisis developed because of the
banning of Black servicemen from a local club, Institute
members and volunteers played significant roles in setting up
a new, interracial USO site. During this time period IIB also
organized the resettlement process for welcoming and assisting
Japanese individuals who had recently arrived in Boston from
California.
Through the 1950’s and 1960’s the
Institute expanded its social, educational, and resettlement
services in response to new demand from the refugee
populations created by World War II and the Cold War. Each new
wave - East European, Czech, Cuban, Hungarian, Chinese, and
Central American - required foresight, organization, and a
variety of services. IIB developed strong, cooperative
relationships with many social and governmental agencies to
assist these displaced persons.
With the move to a
more spacious location in 1964, the Institute expanded its
cultural activities in the community. The first Golden Door
Award Dinner was held in 1971. Since then, the Golden Door
Award has become a very special IIB tradition (honoring a U.S.
citizen of foreign birth who has made an outstanding
contribution to American society.) Past honorees include
architect I.M. Pei, conductor Arthur Fiedler, scholar Jill Ker
Conway, and cellist Yo-Yo Ma.
 Beginning in 1975 and through part of the 1980's,
the Institute focused a large part of its efforts on the flood
of Indochinese refugees coming to Boston. Since many of the
new arrivals were desperately in need of comprehensive
services, IIB's activities during this period solidified its
position as a leading refugee resettlement organization. This
effort included adding an attorney to the staff to deal with
legal issues, adding a licensed social worker to provide
counseling, and expanding English classes with professional
teachers. At this time, IIB also took over the American Fund
for Czech Refugees program and case loads.
 In 1994, IIB acquired a satellite office
in Manchester, New Hampshire. The International
Institute of New Hampshire, as this office is now known,
was established as a result of the reorganization,
continuation, and expansion of services that had been provided
by the American Fund for Czechoslovak Refugees and Lutheran
Social Services since 1987. In order to support cost-effective
program expansion, IIB assumed responsibility for fiscal
management of IINH after the acquisition while the IINH Site
Director continued to oversee all program management.
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