Immigration in the News:
California Eases Tone as Latinos Make Gains, New York Times
First Senate hearing on immigration features calls for action, but also tensions and dissent
Ellis Island Immigration Station - 1892-1954
-12M immigrants processed, mostly from Europe
-About 3/4 of migrants to US b/w 1892 and 1924 went through Ellis Island)
-20% detained, mostly for just 8 hours
Given its mostly European immigrant clientele and U.S. immigration laws that favored European immigration until the 1920s, Ellis Island was primarily a processing center. It's intention was to facilitate entry and Americanization.
Documentary: "Face of America: The Ellis Island Immigration Museum" (Great Museums)
Flipped Classroom: Ellis Island Oral Histories
-In groups of 3-4, choose one oral history to listen to and answer these questions on the board:
Date of arrival
Country of Origins
Experiences on Ellis Island (specific quote if possible)
Why is this individual story significant? What does it say about immigration regulation, immigrant hopes, immigrant memories, the ways in which we understand Ellis Island today?
"Ellis Island Oral Histories," National Park Service
"Ellis Island Oral History Project" (Ancestry.com) - requires free registration
"Ellis Island" (Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation)
"Ellis Island Family Histories" (Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation)
"Interactive Tour of Ellis Island," Scholastic Publishing Co.
"Save Our History: Immigrant Reflections from Ellis Island to Staten Island" National Park Service