From Ellis Island to JFK:
New York`s Two Great Waves of Immigration
Textbook Info:
Foner, Nancy. From Ellis Island to JFK: New York's Two Great Waves of Immigration.
New Haven: Yale University Press, 2000. Print.
Introduction
This book contextualizes the very foundation of immigration that has occurred in
the United States for many years. A detailed insight of the various races and their impact
on the rulings of immigration is shown through a comparison of today’s immigrants’
comings versus the influx of immigrants that came from the 19th to the 20th century. By
elaborating on the specific aspects or values such as: education, race, Americanization,
etc., America’s “attitude” toward them are radically different than from any of the
mistreatments that occurred even in the 1930s. This grandeur difference brings forth
much innovative and horror facts/statistics about the growth in the lives of immigrants
and their changes in social lifestyles!
Author’s Background
Nancy Foner, the author of this book, is a distinguished Professor of Sociology at
Hunter College and the Graduate Center of the City University of New York. Interested
in the idea of immigration, she explores Jamaicans in their predominant areas such as:
their home places, New York, and others. Her particular area of study revolves around
the comparative immigration movements in New York City today versus those in the
past. Also, Professor Foner places many immigrant experiences in her works to convey a
true meaning behind the radical change that immigration has had over the years. Such a
theme is investigated in many of her novels –including From Ellis Island to JFK: New
York's Two Great Waves of Immigration.
Many of her collaborative works have received worldwide recognition and
various specialized awards for their meaning and elaborate, depth of study. Exemplifying
an award, this book was the winner of the 2000 Theodore Saloutos Award of the
Immigration and Ethnic Historic Society. Other notable works of hers include: In a New
Land: A Comparative View of Immigration (received Choice Outstanding Academic Title
for 2006), Race, and Ethnicity in the United States (recipient of an Honorable Mention),
and others. In addition to all of her writing activities, she has testified in several
immigration conflicts and an editor of a plethora of immigration journals. Nancy has
membership in several committees: Russell Sage Foundation Immigration Research
Advisory Committee, the Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island History Advisory Committee, and
the Advisory Group of the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Religious and Ethnic
Diversity. Due to her active participation of immigration throughout society, Nancy
Foner received a Distinguished Career Award in 2010 and even gained acceptance to the
prestigious American Academy of Arts and Sciences!1
Book Analysis
1
“Nancy Foner.” (Sociology Faculty)
Since a common theme in the novel revolves around the comparison of
immigration in two waves (history versus today), a lot of research was involved in
producing most of the information presented in the text! Breakdowns of shocking
statistical data and immigrant experiences are conveyed for the reader to realize this
impactful change that immigration has turned for our society! Therefore, as a preface of
the text, Foner introduces profiles of the majority of immigrants that even stepped foot
into the USA such as the Italians and Jews who coped with many acceptance problems in
History. By exploring immigrants’ purpose in even entering (i.e. escaping from political
oppression and seeking freedom), many unforeseen issues took place for them and some
of these conflicts were even enforced by governmental laws!
One type of problem that occurred from this huge influx of immigration was
“American Fever” and Foner connects this dynamic plague into the idea of “stings of
prejudice.” The main reason for these issues were the mixtures of races entering America
aside from the white skinned people. A source of data that Foner even provides to support
her reasoning is that since many of the Italians spoke different languages and had
different skin colors, they were discriminated against heavily including their physical
characteristics and zealous need for money! Hence, their migration patterns in living in
NYC varied greatly. In fact, she emphasizes on how immigrants could adopt to healthful
and more modern apartments only after the 1900!
By using these comparisons between today's immigrants' living styles versus
History's immigrants' living styles (i.e. ethnic enclosures/discourse communities), the
readers realize the radical changes that actually occurred throughout time. Additionally,
Foner provides various immigrant experiences (and giving credit to them in the "notes"
section). Though this idea was portrayed in the beginning of the book (Chapter 2), it was
again tied to the end of the book in "A Look Backward-and Forward." The concept of
introducing the change in the beginning and looking it as a whole in the end really
captivated me in especially seeing the connections of the varying themes (i.e. Education,
Living, Prejudice, etc.). Not only was the comparison of the two immigrant waves was
provided but also variations in living between the immigrant groups (i.e. Jews, Asians,
Italians, and others) were conveyed.
Exemplified in Chapters 2 and 7 of the novel, throughout most of the 20th century
and continuing on today, Asians were generally much more educated than those of the
other immigrant groups and even the white natives (who were considered at the time to
be racially superior) since they were better financially off through businesses and
physical work forces. Though Foner describes these job benefits that they received, her
continued emphasis on adapting to a multicultural metropolis made me realize the
adverse obstacles that had to be overcame to get at where they are today!
Conclusion
In more specific detail, all of these adverse difficulties are described throughout
the book in order to focus on it one at a time. As a major point, one specific issue that
came about for these Russian Jews immigrants and/or inferior races was maintenance of
transnational ties to their countries; they had to utilize fundamental forms of technology
to keep the relations going on in both countries. However, a rapid, modernization of
communication forms allows immigrants to keep such contact easier like: video chats
(popular among Asian families), quick airplane trips, and etc. These types of changes are
portrayed throughout the book. Therefore, personally, my views of immigration have
changed and became more insightful especially in relation to the plethora of racial
barriers that immigrants had to endure even to settle in the entry point of JFK airport!
Overall, this book would bring a lot of enjoy to the readers and be enthralling to read
since they would enjoy seeing the major reshape and turning that immigration has done
for our society!