2. IMMIGRATION Ellis Island Angel Island

3. Ellis IslandSome history In 1890, President Benjamin Harrison designated Ellis Island as the site of the first Federal immigration station. The new structure built of “Georgia pine” opened on January 1, 1892 Over 12 million immigrants entered the United States through Ellis Island from 1892 – 1954. 15 year old Irish girl, Annie Moore and her two brothers were the first immigrants to be processed at Ellis Island on Jan. 2, 1892. Five years later, a fire burned the immigration station on Ellis Island to the ground. On Dec. 17th, 1900, a new main building opened and 2,251 immigrants were taken in that day.

4. Angel IslandSome history - “Ellis Island of the West” – San Francisco - Construction began in 1905 and was completed in 1910 - Known as “The Guardian of the Western Gate” -The purpose was to control the flow of Chinese people into the country - A detention center

5. Immigration to the United States Key Concepts People choose to immigrate for many different reasons People who immigrate face many challenges People who immigrate contribute to the life and culture of the society they join Cultural Groups Irish Immigrants Chinese Immigrants Mexican Immigrants German-Jewish Immigrants

6. Irish Immigrants

7. Chinese Immigrants

8. Mexican Immigrants

9. German-Jewish Immigrants

10. What can we do in our libraries? Book talks Recognize the many cultural groups in your town Get involved in team-teaching immigration unit with Social Studies teacher Have a genealogy fair in the library Any other ways to get involved? Suggestions?

13. Bibliography Irish Immigrants: Haugen, Brenda. The Irish Americans. Philadelphia: Mason Crest Publishers, 2003. One in a series of books about different ethnic groups coming to America. It describes the journey to America on cramped and odiferous ships, the struggles the immigrants faced once they arrived. It moves to sharing successes each group had as the years passed and also highlights famous people of the various descents. Websites, glossaries and further readings rounds out these series of informational books. Woodruff, Elvira. Small Beauties: The Journey of Darcy Heart O’ Hara. New York: Random House Children’s Books, 2006. Darcy Heart O’Hara, a young Irish girl who neglects her chores to observe the beauties of nature and everyday life, shares “family memories” with her homesick parents and siblings after the O’Haras are forced to immigrate to America in the 1840’s.

14. Chinese Immigrants: Currier, Katrina Saltonstall. Kai’s Journey to Gold Mountain: An Angel Island Story. Tiburon: Angel Island Association, 2005. In 1934, twelve-year-old Kai leaves China to join his father in America, but first he must take a long sea voyage, then endure weeks of crowded conditions and harsh examinations on Angel Island, fearing that he or his new friend will be sent home. Lee, Milly. Landed. New York: Frances Foster Books, 2006. After leaving his home in southeastern China, twelve-year-old Sun is held and interrogated on Angel Island before being allowed to join his merchant father in San Francisco. Yep, Laurence. The Dragon’s Child: A Story of Angel Island. New York: HarperCollins Children’s Books, 2008. In 1922, ten-year-old Gim Lew reluctantly leaves his village in China to accompany his father to America, but before they go he must prepare for a grueling test that he must pass – without stuttering – at California’s Angel Island, where strict officials strive to keep out unwanted immigrants.

15. Mexican Immigrants: Gonzalez, Lucia. The Storyteller’s Candle. San Francisco: Children’s Book Press, 2008. During the early days of the Great Depression, New York City’s first Puerto Rican librarian, Pura Belpre’ introduces the public library to immigrants living in El Barrio and hosts the neighborhood’s first Three Kings’ Day fiesta. Hanel, Rachael. Mexican Immigrants in America: an interactive history adventure. Mankato: Capstone Press, 2009. Examines the challenges and experiences of both legal and illegal Mexican citizens who come to the United States, and provides historical details about where they settle and the types of jobs they find.

16. German/Jewish Immigrants: Giff, Patricia Reilly. A House of Tailors. New York: Wendy Lamb Books, 2004. When thirteen-year-old Dina emigrates from Germany to America in 1871, her only wish is to return home as soon as she can, but as the months pass and she survives a multitude of hardships living with her uncle and his young wife and baby, she finds herself thinking of Brooklyn as her home. Hesse, Karen. Rifka. New York: Penguin Books, 1992. In letters to her cousin, a young Jewish girl chronicles her family’s flight from Russia in 1919 and her own experiences when she must be left in Belgium for a while when the others emigrate to America. Hest, Amy. When Jessie Came Across the Sea. Cambridge: Candlewick Press, 1997. A thirteen-year-old Jewish orphan reluctantly leaves her grandmother and immigrates to new York City, where she works for three years sewing lace and earning money to bring Grandmother to the United States, too.

17. What would Jerry Seinfeld say?