Immigration Through Ellis Island – Award Winning Documentary Video Film

New York: Ellis Island

            New York has many prominent features and attributes in comparison to other places around world. Its history, diverse culture, symbols, willingness to accept others and landmarks may be seen throughout many places in the city. This place of opportunity has many places rich in history and culture which enhance its beauty. Because New York has so gracefully acquired and obtained these attributes over decades of time, many of these characteristics have become so intertwined, that their very existence has become based off each other. Ellis Island is a clear representative of these attributes and is greatly associated with New York. This is due to the massive amount this island has contributed to New York’s culture.

            While walking down the streets of New York, one has the ability to see and embrace cultures from all over the world. Unlike most places in America, New York’s population is too diverse to be categorized as a specific people or culture. One might say the New York culture is a mixture of those which exist around the world. Primarily, this is due to the immense amount of people with immigrated ancestry. Statistically, about 50 percent of Americans can trace their genealogy to at least one person who passed through Ellis Island. Historically, Ellis Island was home to the immigrations and served as the primary immigration facility from January 1, 1892 until 1924. During these years, over 25 million people entered America through this New York port[1]. This island enabled the United States government to medically review and assess the morals of immigrants in an isolated area as opposed to the original immigration location (which was known as the “Castle Garden Immigration Depot’ in Manhattan). One immigrant accounts it as a place where “a bunch of people speaking many different languages were gathered in one place”.

            New York’s diverse culture is a result of the combination of the emigrated ethnicities derived from other countries. Today about 10 percent of New York City’s population is of Asian origin and 25.5 percent of European origin[2]. The mixture of the various ethnic backgrounds brought through the Ellis Island port has created a city resembling countries from around the world. “Little Italy” for example is filled with Italian culture through restaurants and cuisines with its recipes and décor resembling that of Italy’s. Similarly, “China Town” is comprised of Asian culture with many streets and restaurants bearing signs actually written in the Asian languages.

            Because Ellis Island empowered people to come to a new home while at the same time, retaining their ethnic culture or religion, it has become another one of America’s symbols of true liberty. Un-shockingly this symbol of true freedom and hope is located only ½ a mile away from the Statue of Liberty (although many often confuse the Statue of Liberty to reside on Ellis Island). The association between the two is undeniable. The Statue of Liberty (given to America by France) serves as a beacon of hope and opportunity to the entering immigrants. This symbolic statue was intended to represent freedom from tyranny and slavery which is what immigrants acquire once they have gone through the Ellis Island Port.

            The immense amount of immigrants to pass through Ellis Island displays New York’s ability to accept and embrace people of all origins. Only about 2 percent of the millions of immigrants who requested access were denied. Rejection was a mainly a result of two possible scenarios. Either the person was diagnosed with contagious diseases or one was perceived to be a threat to society. To these people it was known as the “Island of Tears”. Despite this name however, immigrants were “treated courteously and respectfully, and were free to begin their new lives in America after only a few short hours on Ellis Island”[3]. Even though the facilities ready and available could not accommodate or sustain the massive amount of immigrants, New York did not turn them away as a result. Instead, workmen (primarily masons and carpenters) were struggling to create new facilities such as hospitals, dormitories, kitchens and others on a constant basis. Similarly, today, one may see little stores or shops “crammed” between two “normal” sized buildings. This is because New Yorkers will always find a way to accommodate ones needs rather then turn them away.  

            Today, Ellis Island is a national landmark (which was declared in 1965 by President Lyndon Johnson) and after undergoing the largest restoration in U.S. history (using about 160 million dollars), was reopened as a museum to the public. The 160 million dollar restoration was primarily obtained through various donations made to the Statue of Liberty – Ellis Island Foundation. Today, about 2 million people visit and pay tribute to the past of Ellis Island annually.