Between 1892 and 1954, about 12 Million Immigrants seeking a new life in america were taken to ellis island for processing, questioning and health screening. Today, millions of americans take ferry boats each year to visit ellis island and the statue of liberty. Up next on American History tv american artifacts, we visit Ellis Island Immigration Museum to learn about the immigrant experience. Good morning, my name is peter urban and im a park ranger for the National Park service here at ellis island. This island for Many Americans is the place where their american story began. 12 to 13 million americans came to this island and to this building in order to be given the ok to go out and start their lives in the late 1800s and early 1900s. A lot of people dont know about alice island before that time, so let me talk briefly about ellis island itself. Today, we are 27 acres in size. But in the original form this island was, it was three acres. A small island in the middle of the harbor, ba
Ellis island. This island for Many Americans is the place where their american story began. 12 to 13 million americans came to this island and to this building in order to be given the okay to go out and start their lives in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Now, a lot of people dont know about ellis island before that time. Im going to talk briefly about ellis island itself. Today were 27 acres in size. But in the original form this island was, it was three acres. A small island in the middle of the harbor. Barely above sea level at high tide. It was a military installation first as a fort during the war of 1812 and eventually during the 1800s as a storage depot. Around 1890 it was decided by the federal government this would be the place they would institute the first building specifically constructed for the processing of immigrants. They did construct the building between 1890 and 1892. The building here is not the first processing center. Its the second. The first was a large wooden
Demand changes to petition their grievances is in the very best tradition of america. No history of the United States, o recounting of the unending struggle to live up to our ounding promises would be complete without recognition of the peaceful movements that have nation forward. To the beabolitionists suffragettes, to the countless and heroic souls who marched in support of the civil peaceable ment, assemblies have moved mountains n this country and they still can. When america saw the horrifying a Police Officer illing george floyd, a brutal killing that invoked for many he nations long history of acial discrimination and injustice, americans rightly and assembled to demand justice, justice for every of skin regardless color. Ut what began as legitimate protests against a vial act of sadly, were soon hijacked and tunityists opportunist and violent radicals. Rioters had , injured more than 700 law officers across the ountry and had murdered david dorn, a retired officer who erved st.
This island, for Many Americans is the place where their american story began. A lot of people do not know about ellis island before this time. Today we are 27 acres. Originally it was three acres. A small island in the middle of the harbor. Andly came above sea level highside. For most of his life, it was a military installation, and the world of 1812, and as a storage depot. Somewhere around 1890 it was decided it would be the place second. The first one burned to the. Round during a furnace fire the federal government decided they needed to build something more permanent, something that would reflect the grandeur, so the structure you see here is built between 1898 and 1800 and of 1900. In december its a beautiful building and , itshe moment it opened constructed to handle about half a Million People a year. It ended up handling a million 2000 million 200,000 people. If you look at the building there was no thirdfloor. It was two stories with four towers. As we had more and more peo
Of American History and culture. The mission is to collect, preserve, share records of the United States, portions of canada and the British West Indies before the 20th century. In doing so, we collect everything and anything within these parameters. From graphic prints to newspapers and periodicals, to pamphlets and books. We use these collections as the basis for all of our programs, between scholars, writers, artists, the general public. We teach students at all levels together to participate in workshops, seminars, lectures, performances in a variety of other programs of pre20th Century America. Tonights lecture is part of a series of programs we are offering connected to an exhibition, the society has coordinated called beyond midnight. The exhibition is currently on display in massachusetts through june 7th. One part is that the museum down the street, the other is that the clock at massachusetts. The exhibition will conclude its tour of the american art in arkansas. It will be o