As an immigration historian, I have been fascinated by the recent thread about
teaching the immigration experience. Nicholas is indeed correct that there are
numerous ports of entry into the US. We too often focus solely on the Ellis Island
experience and overlook the other ports, as he rightly noted. Consequently, there are
indeed many untold stories about the immigration experience we have neglected those other
ports of entry. However, I was somewhat disturbed by his generalization that "only a
portion of the poorest European immigrants" came through Ellis Island. Ellis Island
was open from Jan. 1892 through Nov. 1954 during which time more than 12 million immigrants
were processed through the facility. First- and second-class passengers aboard steamships
were usually examined by physicians and immigration inspectors on board their ships before being
transferred to the city by cutters or ferries, thus saving a visit to Ellis Island.
(Castle Garden was the facility used prior to Ellis Island and was closed in 1890.)
There are numerous excellent resources available on immigration, including collections of
immigrant letters, that would be very useful in the development of your programs. If anyone
wishes to discuss this matter further, they may contact me off line.
Good luck!
David G. Vanderstel
Executive Director
National Council on Public History
________________________________________________
David G. Vanderstel, Ph.D.
Executive Director
National Council on Public History
c/o Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis
425 University Boulevard - Cavanaugh 327
Indianapolis, Indiana 46202-5140
phone: 317.274.2718
fax: 317.278.5230
email: [log in to unmask]
web: www.ncph.org
-----Original Message-----
From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On
Behalf Of Emilia S. Boehm
Sent: Friday, June 04, 2004 8:28 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Teaching about Immigration
Nicholas-
Well, since Ellis Island is so worthless, let's just forget it ever
existed. I'll go home and tell my family that their immigration experience
doesn't matter anymore because it's too cliche.
Your point is well taken- Ellis Island is only one of many kinds of
immigration stories, and the kids should be taught as such. I think the
Putnam Museum's program sounds good, though; it asks the students to walk
in the immigrants' shoes and makes them feel more involved in the museum
visit.
Perhaps Ellis Island is a story taught too frequently, but does that
really mean we should start ignoring it?
-Emilia
> I am fascinated that one would teach immigration via the Ellis Island
> experience. First of all, only a portion of the poorest European
> immigrants
> came through Ellis Islands (those not in steerage disembarked at Castle
> Island) and Ellis Island immigrants are not a representative sample of
> immigrants that came/come to America. Secondly, Ellis Island has not
> functioned as an immigrant center since 1954 (I believe). Thirdly, Asian
> immigrants from the 19th and early 20th century came through Angel Island,
> on the West Coast, not Ellis Island. Fourth, enslaved Africans (perhaps
> the
> single largest immigrant group up to the end of the 19th century) came
> through ports such as Charleston, not Ellis Island. Fifth modern
> immigrants
> come by air (in most cases) and not by ship. Sixth, El Paso and the San
> Diego area of the U.S./Mexican border are among the most significant entry
> points of current immigrants traveling by land.
>
> In short, the presentation of the Ellis Island experience as the
> quintessential immigrant experience is, besides its sentimentality and
> treacle quality, so unrepresentative of the actualities of immigration
> that
> it verges on misinformation. The potential of building a Eurocentric
> vision
> of immigration and reinforcing centuries-old prejudices of native-born
> Americans towards non-white immigrants is so obvious in this type of
> presentation that I am surprised that a museum would even sponsor such a
> mis-education of Davenport's youth.
> Cheers, -Nicholas
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On
> Behalf
> Of Christina Myatt
> Sent: Thursday, June 03, 2004 1:06 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Teaching about Immigration
>
>> David,
>>
>> We do a full immersion immigration program. As a previsit, classes
>> fill out
>> a manifest form and assume a "character" coming to America. When
>> they
>> arrive at the museum (as if they are stepping off the boat at Ellis
>> Island),
>> they are met by an immigration officer (a costumed museum theatre
>> interpreter) and then are put through a mock physical and legal
>> examination.
>> The experience culminates with first person retellings of the
>> stories of
>> the major immigrant groups to our area.
>>
>> I have a book list and sample activities that I would be happy to
>> share if
>> you want to contact me off list.
>>
>> For this experience, it is a great way for the students to experience
>> the
>> fears and unknown of our country's immigrants. I think one of the
>> great
>> activities and things to stress is the fact that you could only bring
>> limited items with you. In our material age, what would you bring if
>> limited to x number of items? What things would be most important to
>> you
>> and most necessary. (Note: This activity is also wonderful in
>> thinking
>> about westward expansion.
>>
>> Christina
>> Christina M. Myatt
>> Theatrical Programming Coordinator
>> Putnam Museum
>> 1717 West 12th Street
>> Davenport IA 52804
>> 563.324.1054 ext. 207 (phone)
>> [log in to unmask]
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: David Lynx <[log in to unmask]>
>> To: [log in to unmask]
>> Date: Wed, 2 Jun 2004 16:03:09 -0700
>> Subject: Teaching about Immigration
>>
>> > I am partnering with a local school next year to develop a lesson
>> > plan
>> > around immigration. The students will work on a final project about
>> > an
>> > ancestor in their past, or one chosen from a list.
>> >
>> > I was wondering what other educators have done this, and if there
>> are
>> > videos/books etc on helping students to understand and research
>> > immigration.
>> >
>> > Thanks
>> > David Lynx, Curator or Education
>> > Yakima Valley Museum
>> >
>> > =========================================================
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>
> =========================================================
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> =========================================================
> Important Subscriber Information:
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Emilia S. Boehm
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=========================================================
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