General Resources [Current Issues] [Ellis Island] [Images]

Immigration (Yahoo!) - http://dir.yahoo.com/Arts/Humanities/History/U_S__History/By_Subject/Immigration/

Yahoo's links to Web sites about American immigration.

Immigration: The Perpetual Controversy - http://www.theatlantic.com/unbound/flashbks/immigr/immigint.htm

A major article from Atlantic Unbound, the online version of The Atlantic Monthly magazine, which reviews past debates on immigration through U.S. history. Many references and links to earlier articles going back to 1896 are included.

Port of Entry: Immigration - http://lcweb2.loc.gov/ammem/ndlpedu/features/port/start.html

"Welcome! On this journey, you will assume the role of historical detective and search for clues to America's past in American Memory, the historical collections of the Library of Congress. You will investigate photographs and eyewitness accounts of immigrant life in America."

We the People - http://www.i-channel.com/wethepeople/

Another project from the International Channel, this website "is an inspirational national event designed to honor citizenship and the contributions of immigrants to the United States." It includes links to: the program schedule and descriptions for International Channel's original series In America that traces the history of immigration to the United States and explores the immigration experience; a place to tell your immigration story and search and read other's immigration stories; Vision In America Award Recipients; citizenship resources; featured documentaries; and, the We the People video clip.

Norman Matloff's Immigration Forum - http://heather.cs.ucdavis.edu/pub/Immigration/Index.html

A large collection of informational articles related to American immigration. Just click on a link, and the article will be displayed.

Peopling North America: Population Movements & Migration - http://www.ucalgary.ca/applied_history/tutor/migrations/

A historical overview of migration to and within Canada, the United States, Mexico and the Caribbean from Europe, Asia and Africa. The "demographic, economic, cultural, and political nature of major movements" are examined. The glossary (under Sources) has very detailed definitions. (Applied History Research Group, University of Calgary) (LII)

On the Lower East Side: Observations of Life in Lower Manhattan at the Turn of the Century - http://tenant.net/Community/LES/contents.html

A "collection of articles, documentary sources, and study guides...compiled to accompany the course, An Urban Experience: New York City's Lower East Side, 1880-1920." (LII)

Immigrant and Ethnic America - http://immigrants.harpweek.com/

"This website will make it possible to take a detailed look at the various immigrant and ethnic groups that were a vital part of American culture during the second half of the 19th century." The first feature is "The Chinese American Experience 1857-1892." Articles and pictures from Harper's Weekly the premier newsmagazine of the nineteenth an early twentieth centuries.

Tenement Museum - http://www.thirteen.org/tenement/

New York's Lower East Side Tenement Museum is the first in the United States to preserve a tenement building. Between the years 1870 and 1915, 97 Orchard Street was home to over ten thousand people, mostly new immigrants. The site includes a history of the building, dioramas of individual rooms, photographs by Arnold Eagle, and the opportunity to peel away thirteen layers of wallpaper from just one wall. Public television station WNET has done a masterful job of creating a Web tour of this stunning re-creation of tenement life. (LII)

CURRENT ISSUES

Modern U.S. Immigration History - http://www.fairus.org/history.htm

A knowledge of how immigration has worked in our country in the recent past helps put present immigration into perspective. The selections on this site will call up overviews of recent immigration policy. (FAIR, the Federation for American Immigration Reform)

Bureau of Immigration and Naturalization Services - http://www.immigration.gov/graphics/index.htm

This is the web site of the U.S. government's office which handles immigration and citizenship issues. See also Immigration Statisitcs at this same web site.

Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration - http://www.state.gov/g/prm/

This State Dept. bureau advises the Secretary of State on the formulation of U.S. policies on population, refugees, and migration and administers U.S. refugee assistance and refugee admissions programs. Resources include: Issues In the News, Key Policy Documents, Press Statements; Remarks, Testimony, and Briefings; Fact Sheets and Other Information.

American Immigration Resources on the Internet - http://www.wave.net/upg/immigration/resource.html

Links to resources related to immigration to the U.S. Focuses mainly on current issues.

Center for Immigration Studies - http://www.cis.org/

 CIS "is a non-profit, non-partisan research institute which examines and critiques the impact of immigration on the United States." The site publishes news, articles, reports, and publications on immigration issues, and lists a variety of immigration topics which reflect concerns of the U.S. government, such as terrorism and national security. (LII)

Immigration FAQ Central - http://www.murthy.com/faqs.html

The law office of immigration attorney Sheila Murthy has developed this page of links to information on immigration legal requirements and issues. (LII)

Migration Information Source - http://www.migrationinformation.org/

This site offers "fresh thought, authoritative data, and global analysis of international migration and refugee trends" and chronicles global migration movements. Global Data contains charts and tables for several countries dating back to 1990 and Country Profiles contains articles on various countries' immigration and emigration policies, experience, patterns, and forecasts. There are also U.S. Historical Trends, related links, and a glossary. (LII)

TRAC INS - http://trac.syr.edu/tracins/

This site provides easily accessible statistics and data on the responsibilities; history, trends, patterns, policies, practices, and the size increase in the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) and examines its criminal enforcement activities. These facts, which "differ substantially from those of other federal agencies," are highlighted by graphical illustrations, essays, and other searchable data from the 90 federal U.S. judicial districts. (Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse, Syracuse University) (LII)

ELLIS ISLAND

Ellis Island National Monument - http://www.nps.gov/elis/

This is the official Web site of the historic site where many of the immigrants to the U.S. from Europe arrived in the country. "Between 1892 and 1954, approximately 12 million steerage and third class steamship passengers who entered the United States through the port of New York were legally and medically inspected at Ellis Island. Reopened on        September 10, 1990 after a massive restoration, the Main Building on Ellis Island is now a museum dedicated to the history of immigration and the important role this island claimed during the mass migration of humanity in the late 19th and early 20th centuries."

Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation, Inc. - http://www.ellisisland.org/

From this site you can search records of people who came through Ellis Island. There is also an online exhibit demonstrating a typical immigrant experience, and, by setting up an account, you can start and maintain a family scrapbook at the site.

Ellis Island: Through America's Gateway - http://www.internationalchannel.com/education/ellis/

"Millions of Americans have made the United States the most multicultural nation in the world. From the time Ellis Island opened in upper New York Harbor near the Statue of Liberty in 1892 to the time it closed in 1954, it served as the portal for the vast majority of new immigrants. International Channel — in cooperation with the Ellis Island Immigration Museum, The Statue of Liberty - Ellis Island Foundation and the National Park Service — invite you take a tour through the following pages for a glimpse of Ellis Island, past and present." Links are provided to: a historical overview; the journey of immigrants; Ellis Island then; Ellis Island now; an oral history project; and, the Ellis Island cookbook.

Ellis Island Immigration Museum - http://www.ellisisland.com/

This is the Web site of the company which provides visitor services to Ellis Island. Links are provided to online history, genealogy, vendor and visitor services at the Monument site.

Immigration: Coming to America - http://teacher.scholastic.com/immigrat/index.htm

This Web site includes an interactive tour of Ellis Island; links to two "Journeys to America"--1920s and 1990s; and an orla history scrapbook. (Scholastic)

IMAGES

The Golden Door: Immigration Images From the Keystone-Mast Collection - http://photo.ucr.edu/projects/immigration/

A collection of nearly 70 photographs concerning turn of the 20th century immigration to the United States. Topics include Ellis Island, immigrant life and labor, and World's Fair "foreign villages" (mostly taken in St. Louis, Mo.). (California Museum of Photography, University of California, Riverside) (LII)

New York, NY, Ellis Island -- Immigration: 1900-1920 - http://cmp1.ucr.edu/exhibitions/immigration_id.html

Over 20 stereoscopic photographs from the early 20th century documenting immigration "through the most famous point of entry, Ellis Island." Originally issued by the Keystone View Company, Underwood and Underwood, the H.C. White Company, and other publishers. (California Museum of Photography, University of California, Riverside) (LII)

Ethnic Groups [Americas] [Asia] [Europe] [Other or Mixed]

AMERICAS

The City/ La Ciudad - http://www.pbs.org/itvs/thecity/

"Presents four vignettes depicting the struggles of Latin American immigrants in New York City." Explores issues of education, workers' rights, women and immigration (including an essay on transnational motherhood), and cultural stereotypes and myths surrounding immigrants and immigration. Includes a timeline, a list of related facts, and glossaries of terms related to immigration and bilingual education. Online companion to PBS documentary, also features an interview with filmmaker David Riker. Available in English and Spanish. (LII)

Trabajadores Inmigrantes/Immigrant Workers - http://www.clas.berkeley.edu:7001/Gallery/dbacon/

An exhibit of over 30 photographs of Latino immigrant workers on strike in the United States, taken by David Bacon. Includes commentary from Bacon, and background information on the photographer. (Center for Latin American Studies, University of California, Berkeley) (LII) 

ASIA

Japanese American National Museum - http://www.janm.org/

The Japanese American National Museum is located in Los Angeles, Calif. Its Web site has many links to the contributions of the Japanese and Japanese Americans to the U.S.

Topicos del Servicio de Inmigracion - http://www.wave.net/upg/immigration/spanish.html

En español, information about immigration processes.

Museum of the City of San Francisco - http://www.sfmuseum.org/hist1/index0.html

Lots of articles and information about the history of San Francisco. Scroll down the page to a large section of links to Chinese Immigration. Includes some pictures and illustrations. Lists oldest years covered first (1849-1995).

The First Chinese in Hawaii - http://www.extreme-hawaii.com/pp/

Newspaper article about the first Chinese to immigrate to Hawaii; and The Chinese, another newspaper article about the first Chinese to immigrate to Hawaii.

Case Files for Early Immigrants to San Francisco and Hawaii - http://groups.haas.berkeley.edu/iber/casefiles/chinese_immigrants_introduction_page_1.cfm

This database covers investigations of people who tried to immigrate to America through San Francisco or Honolulu during the period of the Chinese Exclusion Act, 1882-1943. Searches yield case numbers that correspond with documents at National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) archives in San Bruno, California. Search by first or last name, birth place, ship, port, or case number, or browse by last name. A joint project of NARA and the University of California, Berkeley. (LII)

Locke and Walnut Grove: Havens for Early Asian Immigrants in California - http://www.cr.nps.gov/nr/twhp/wwwlps/lessons/locke/locke.htm

This lesson plan uses two Sacramento River towns for studying the Asian immigrant experience. Materials include maps, readings, images, activities, and links. (U.S. National Park Service Teaching with Historic Places) (LII)

The Chinese in California, 1850-1925 - http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/award99/cubhtml/cichome.html

A collection of about 8,000 images and pages of primary source materials illustrating "nineteenth and early twentieth century Chinese immigration to California." Includes original illustrations, cartoons, letters, diary excerpts, speeches, sheet music, and other images and printed matter. Search or browse the material by subject, name, title, group, or theme. From the American Memory Project of the Library of Congress. (LII)

Echoes of Freedom: South Asian Pioneers in California, 1899-1965 - http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/SSEAL/echoes.html

An illustrated history of early East Indian immigrants to California (primarily Sikhs from Punjab), featuring photographs, documents, and publications. Explores the passage to America, work, prejudice, the Gadar Party, the Stockton Sikh Temple, students, the exclusion of women, the Thind Decision (1923), the Luce-Cellar Act (1946), Congressman Dalip Singh Saund, and the Immigration and Nationality Act (1965). (South/Southeast Asia Library, University of California, Berkeley) (LII)

A More Perfect Union: Japanese Americans and the U.S. Constitution - http://americanhistory.si.edu/perfectunion/

"This exhibit explores this period when racial prejudice and fear upset the delicate balance between the rights of the citizen and the power of the state." It discusses Japanese immigration to the United States, the relocation of Japanese Americans to camps during World War II, their loyalty and military service, and their post-war struggle for justice. (National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution)  (LII)

Made in USA: Angel Island Shhh: An Installation by Flo Oy Wong - http://www.kearnystreet.org/AngelIsland/

An online companion to a "rice-sack flag [art] installation that explores the identity secrets of Chinese immigrants detained and interrogated in the United States." The art piece was exhibited at Angel Island, an immigration station in the San Francisco Bay Area. Site includes a gallery of the flags, which capture the stories of Angel Island detainees, as well as a biography of the artist. (LII)

Separate Lives, Broken Dreams - http://www.asianamericanmedia.org/separatelivesbrokendreams/

A site about the Chinese Exclusion Act, which until its repeal in 1943 "barred all Chinese from U.S. citizenship by naturalization." View immigration documents and photographs, Chinese exclusion literature such as speeches and satirical cartoons, a glossary of terms, government documents, information on researching family records, a bibliography, and related links. Each section includes commentary from scholars and historians. From the National Asian American Telecommunications Association. (LII)

Asian Nation: The Landscape of Asian America - http://www.asian-nation.org/

Information about culture, religions, history, demographics, immigration, assimilation, and issues in the diverse Asian American community. The author, a Vietnamese American sociologist, also provides discussion boards, many links, and a section with history and photographs of Viet Nam. Searchable. (LII)

Becoming American: The Chinese Experience - http://www.pbs.org/becomingamerican/

This site about the Chinese American experience explores the "struggle and triumph, progress and setbacks, discrimination and assimilation" associated with the immigration of Chinese to the United States. The site provides biographical portraits, eyewitness accounts, a timeline, a Chinese American history quiz, a viewer's guide, and links to related resources. A companion to a Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) documentary hosted by Bill Moyers. (LII)

EUROPE

European Migration - http://www.americanwest.com/swedemigr/pages/emigra.htm

Mostly about people of Sweden, but has excellent links to another groups' emigration to America. The history of Swedish emigration to America goes further back in time than that of the United States. Swedes started to come in 1638, just eighteen years after the landing of the "Mayflower."

Jewish Life in the American West: Generation to Generation - http://www.autry-museum.org/explore/exhibits/jewish_life/

This exhibit "explores the history and adventure of Jews in the American West from early exploration along the Santa Fe Trail in the 1820s through decades of immigration and settlement in Western cities and towns." In addition to the online exhibit, this site includes a dreidel game, brief biographies of prominent western Jews, classroom activities, and other educational resources. (Autry Museum of Western Heritage) (LII)

Unpacking on the Prairie: Jewish Women in the Upper Midwest - http://jewishwomenexhibit.org/

Immigrant Jewish women, traditionally the family historians, chronicle their poignant memories of family stories through manuscripts, letters, and pictorial and oral history. The site explores their "roles in transporting their culture from the Old World to the Upper Midwest; learning to adjust to new geography and new neighbors, establishing Jewish homes; finding ways to augment the family income, maintaining the synagogue and founding social welfare institutions." Descriptive interspersed Hebrew words illustrate their unique traditions and history, among them kosher (fit to eat), treyf (not fit to eat), tzedakah (righteous acts), tallit (prayer shawl), and much more. (LII)

California Explores the Ocean - http://ceo.ucsd.edu/photographs/sdhs/oral/

A searchable collection of over 50 transcribed interviews with "fishermen, cannery workers, fishing boat owners and captains, fishmongers, and others involved in commercial fishing, sport fishing, and boat building. Many belonged to immigrant Italian and Portuguese families that settled in San Diego from around 1910 to 1930." More than half of the interviews feature audio. (San Diego Historical Society and the University of California, San Diego) (LII)

Coal Mining, Mine Fires, and the Molly Maguires - http://www.columbiapa.org/county/historical/molly_maguires.html

A fascinating directory of sites detailing the history of the secret society of immigrant Irish coal miners in the anthracite region of Pennsylvania. With links to books, articles, lyrics, photos, the trials, descendants, and the archives of the Pinkerton detective agency. (LII)

The Highland Clearances - http://www.theclearances.org/

This web project tells the stories of the thousands of Scots evicted from their land who came to Canada and the U.S. in the 1800s. In addition to historical articles, there is a searchable database of individuals and the ships they traveled on. (LII)

Nordic Heritage Museum - http://www.nordicmuseum.com/

Seattle's "Nordic Heritage Museum is the only museum in the United States to honor the legacy of immigrants from the five Nordic countries: Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden." This site highlights the museum’s permanent collections and also offers information on current gallery shows, children's events, an oral history project, the museum's Gordon Tracie Music Library, and museum-sponsored language and craft schools. (LII)

OTHER OR MIXED

Photographs of Agricultural Laborers in California, ca. 1906-1911 - http://findaid.oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/tf200007qw

Ethnic groups in this collection include Japanese farm laborers; urban Chinese; and Mexican, Italian, and East Indian workers and communities. The rural and urban locations include Fresno, Gilroy, Los Angeles, Merced, Palo Alto, Ryde, San Francisco, the San Joaquin River area, San Jose, the Stockton area, Visalia, and Woodland. Searchable and browsable. (Online Archive of California, Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley). (LII)

Genealogy Resources

Kinship Tutorial - http://www.umanitoba.ca/anthropology/tutor/kinmenu.html

Learn online how to chart family kinship (relationships).

Genealogy.Com - http://www.genealogy.com/index_n.html

The Web's premier site for genealogical exploration. "We're here to give you the tools and resources you need to discover your family story. Rummage around in our attic and see what you can find! New to all this? Here are three easy steps to getting started: 1.Use our Family Finder search wizard, on the left side of every page, to locate ancestors quickly and easily. 2.Visit the Learning Center for tricks of the trade. 3.Start building your free family tree using our Family Explorer."

GENUKI: UK & Ireland Genealogy - http://www.genuki.org.uk/

Genealogy Web site dedicated to England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, the Channel Islands, and the Isle of Man. This searchable "virtual reference library" contains links to county and country censuses; church, emigration and immigration, and vital records; cemetery directories; criminal registers; national libraries and archives; museums; heraldry; chronology lists; calendars and date calculators; directories of genealogical societies and family history centers; and more. Created and maintained by volunteer contributors in cooperation with the Federation of Family History Societies in Britain. (LII)

RootsWeb's Guide To Tracing Family Trees - http://rwguide.rootsweb.com/

One of the best sites for beginners to genealogy and family history to learn the basics of research. There are guides on sources, record types, using technology, immigration, country and ethnic groups, and much more. Links to appropriate Web sites are included. (LII)