The opening of a new exhibition on Virginia’s immigrant experience included a concert by a duo that has lived it.
Judith and Ingrid Morroy performed Sunday afternoon (July 12) at the Arlington Historical Museum, marking the local opening of the “We the People: The World in Our Commonwealth” traveling exhibit of the Virginia Museum of History and Culture.
Natives of Suriname, the fraternal twins performed music from across the United States and around the world to help usher in the exhibition.
Like many immigrants, they described a mix of emotions about their journey as immigrants.
“This country has given us so much opportunity, but we miss certain things” about their homeland, said Ingrid Morroy, who for 20 years served as Arlington’s elected commissioner of revenue before retiring in 2023.
Judith Morroy said that while they were growing up, they learned English through musical lyrics. The Beatles, the Rolling Stones and the Everly Brothers were among favorites.
Even in South America, “you’re so exposed to American culture,” Ingrid Morroy said.
While the twins ended up in the D.C. region as adults, their other siblings spread out around the globe, living in Florida, France and Canada.
Back in their hometown, “the house is still there” but much has changed over time, Judith Morroy told the assembled crowd.
David Pearson, past president of the historical society, said the sisters were “the two perfect people to accompany the ‘We the People’ exhibit.”
Before Covid, the duo was a familiar sight providing musical entertainment to civic and Democratic Party events. They continue to enjoy performing before select crowds and discussing the history of the music being performed.
“They’re both very notable,” Pearson said, recognizing Ingrid Morroy’s service in elected office and Judith Morroy’s career with the World Bank.
The musical repertoire on July 12 was eclectic, from “All My Loving” by the Beatles, to the bluegrass classic “Old Love Letters,” to songs in Dutch and other languages.
There also was a rendition of “Ring of Fire,” most famously sung by Johnny Cash but penned by his wife, June Carter Cash, with Merle Kilgore.
“She doesn’t get enough credit,” Ingrid Morroy said of June Carter Cash. “But that’s life.”
“We the People” attempts to convey the story of “how we lived, or failed to live up to, the founding principles of our country,” Pearson said.
Though it has a statewide focus, the traveling “We the People” exhibition has a significant number of local mentions.
“A lot of the immigration stories in Virginia began here in Arlington,” Pearson said.
Stories told at the exhibition include how a portion of Clarendon in the 1970s-80s became Little Saigon, with stores and restaurants operated by South Vietnamese refugees. They also feature the efforts of Arlington educator Dr. Emma Violand-Sánchez and others, starting in the 1970s, to push for a local commitment to educating immigrant children.
Pearson said the Arlington Historical Museum’s exhibitions have broadened through the years to incorporate waves of immigrants that called the county home. But it remained “very much a work in progress,” he said.
“We’re really still looking for artifacts to bring that story to life,” said Pearson, who noted a connection to Ingrid Morroy — they perform as part of a group of ukulele aficionados.
“We the People: The World in Our Commonwealth” remains in Arlington through Aug. 17. Located at 1805 S. Arlington Ridge Road, the Arlington Historical Museum is open Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sundays from 1-4 p.m.
