In 1919, following WWI some anti-European – more specifically anti-German – sentiments, many states enacted laws in which it was illegal to teach school children foreign languages. In our own state of Nebraska, the law read that no language other than English could be taught in public or private schools.

Speaking with a few Masters candidates from UNO, they pointed out this was likely to force assimilation for immigrants and first-generation Americans. It was also, as I stated earlier, a great deal of German hatred from the first war that was left over. Many German-run newspapers were forced out of business, or made to print in only English.

There was also anti-Native American sentiments, forcing them to remove themselves from their culture and only speak and write in English. Located a half hour west of Columbus, NE in Genoa was the Indian Industrial School (1884-1934), one of the many boarding schools that the government forced native children into across the United States, and which lead to at least one-hundred and two (102) recorded deaths from abuse and neglect in the Genoa school alone.

The law against teaching languages to children was overturned in 1923, in the case of Meyer v. Nebraska. Robert Meyer, a teacher at a local parochial school, was charged for teaching a student German and fined $25, which by today’s standards would be close to $430 due to inflation. Meyer appealed to the Supreme Court, who ordered Nebraska to take the law off the books as it violated the 14th Amendment: No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States.