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Immigration ‑ Stories

Immigration, the movement of people living in one country into another country, is a fundamental aspect of human history, though it was as controversial hundreds of years ago as it is today.

Chinese dim sum at a restaurant.

What’s Behind the Jewish Tradition of Eating Chinese Food on Christmas?

Dim sum for Christmas? The experiences of immigrants in New York explain how the tradition of Jews eating at Chinese restaurants on the Christian holiday began.

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Immigrants arriving at Ellis Island

Meet the First and Last Immigrants Who Passed Through Ellis Island

For much of its early history, a three‑acre spit of sand situated in New York Harbor just south of Manhattan was known for little more than its abundant oyster beds. Dubbed Little Oyster Island, it would eventually be expanded to nine times its original size, take on a new name after its 18th century owner […]

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Chinatown, San Francisco, 1900.

How American Chinatowns Emerged Amid 19th‑Century Racism

Facing economic threats and violence, early Chinese immigrants banded together and created communities to survive—and thrive.

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When Chinese Americans Were Scapegoated for Bubonic Plague

When Chinese Americans Were Scapegoated for Bubonic Plague

As Honolulu and San Francisco faced outbreaks, the cities’ responses caused devastation to Asian communities.

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July 18, 1946: Jose Rodriguez bringing 31 family members to Brooklyn, N.Y., where he has been working, to live together in a 10-room apartment he acquired. They're shown here arriving at Miami, Florida, from Isabella, Puerto Rico. The oldest member of the party is Jose's 73-year-old grandmother, Mrs. Francisca Rodriguez Cortes, and the youngest is his four-month-old daughter.

Why Puerto Rican Migration to the US Boomed After 1945

The US and Puerto Rican governments, looking to solve mutual problems, actively facilitated the exodus.

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Interior view of a Syrian shop showing customers buying marcouck, circa 1919.

Arab Immigration to the United States: Timeline

The first major period of Arab immigration started around 1880, when residents of the Ottoman Empire began to come to the United States.

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Filipino Fishermen Established the First Asian American Settlement in Louisiana

The First Asian American Settlement Was Established by Filipino Fishermen

The fishing village in marshlands of present‑day Louisiana was settled by the so‑called Manilamen as early as 1763.

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The 16-Year-Old Chinese Immigrant Who Helped Lead a 1912 US Suffrage March

The 16‑Year‑Old Chinese Immigrant Who Helped Lead a 1912 US Suffrage March

Mabel Ping‑Hua Lee fought for the rights of women on two sides of the world.

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Before The Chinese Exclusion Act, There Was the Page Act

Before the Chinese Exclusion Act, This Anti‑Immigrant Law Targeted Asian Women

The 1875 Page Act was one of the earliest pieces of federal legislation to restrict immigration to the United States.

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Immigration in America

How the Immigration Act of 1965 Changed the Face of America

The act put an end to long‑standing national‑origin quotas that favored those from northern and western Europe.

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How Border‑Crossing Became a Crime in the United States

In 1929, Section 1325 criminalized undocumented immigration for the first time. Its aim was to decrease Mexican immigration.

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Statue of Liberty: The Making of an Icon

Statue of Liberty: The Making of an Icon

It took grassroots efforts to raise the funds and ultimately build the colossal monument in New York Harbor that has come to symbolize freedom around the world.

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