Russian Cultural Center Our Texas board member Igor George Alexander will give a presentation focusing on the Russian immigration and settlement in Texas at 1 p.m. Saturday, June 5 at Moody Gardens. The event will be held as a part of the free bi-monthly Cultural Speaker Series featuring individual immigration stories of area residents.

Among the diverse population of Galveston immigrants and settlers, many Russians came to Texas. Russians were prominent particularly in the early 1900s wave of immigrants from southern and eastern Europe. Alexander will discuss why they left their homeland and how they adapted to living in the new world.

The Cultural Speaker Series is in conjunction with the traveling exhibit, Forgotten Gateway: Coming to America through Galveston Island. The exhibit chronicles the Port of Galveston’s largely forgotten history as a major gateway to American immigration from 1845 to 1924. The exhibit is the first of its kind to explore, on a national scale, Galveston’s legacy as a port of entry and its importance in shaping the Texas and U.S. history.

Moody Gardens continues to encourage Galveston immigrants and their descendants to share their stories and artifacts by contacting 409-683-4215. Forgotten Gateway will be on exhibit through Sept. 11, 2010, and admission to the exhibit is $8.95 for adults and $6.95 for children and seniors. For more information about the Cultural Speaker Series and the Forgotten Gateway exhibit, please visit moodygardens.org or call 800-582-4673.

AT A GLANCE

Event: Forgotten Gateway Cultural Speaker Series: Russian Immigrants in Texas

Featured Group: Russian Cultural Center Our Texas, Igor George Alexander

Date/ Time: 1 p.m., Saturday, June 5

Location: Moody Gardens Discovery Pyramid, One Hope Blvd., Galveston

Admission: Free, open to the public

Information: 1-800-582-4673, moodygardens.org

Exhibit: Forgotten Gateway: Coming to America through Galveston Island

Admission: Adults $8.95, children (4-12) & seniors (65+) $6.95

About the Exhibit:

Galveston was a Southern equivalent of Ellis Island. With over 200 original artifacts, Forgotten Gateway chronicles the largely forgotten history of Galveston as a major immigration port between 1845 and 1924.