I read somewhere that there are millions of Americans who are descended from immigrants who came through Ellis Island. Not surprising, since there were 25 million people processed there between 1892 and 1924.
When my folks were here we were talking about the immigration debate that is going on in this country right now. As an amateur genealogist I am very conscious of the fact that I am descended from many brave, amazing people who left all that they had and all that was familiar to build a better life for themselves and their families.
My mom mentioned Ellis Island and was shocked to learn that she is not one of the millions of Americans whose ancestors passed through those halls. In fact, all of my ancestors -- paternal and maternal -- who came here from far-off shores (Ireland, Scotland, France, The Netherlands, England, Wales, Norway) were here by the mid 1800s, long before Ellis Island was opened.
But the truth is that many of you reading may have had one or more ancestors whose first view of the U.S. was the Lady in the Harbor -- if you're curious, check out www.ellisisland.org -- and remember those daring souls who left their families, their possessions, everything -- so that you could grow up in the land of the free and the home of the brave.
Would they be proud of you?
Mom, wife, daughter, sister, friend. Scrapbooker, family historian, reader, cook, photographer. Volunteer. Political junkie. Springsteen fan. Loves deeply, strives daily to be a cheerful, kind and generous person. Fails regularly. Snarky, judgy and more than a little blunt. Some people don't appreciate my style. If you're one of them, that's ok. Get your own blog.
I just watched the Ken Burns documentary about The Statue of Liberty. I was surprised to learn that the poem, "Give me your poor, your tired, your hungry etc...." was put on the statue many years after it was put the harbor. I just assumed the poem was on there from day one.
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