Martin Luther King Day is observed on January 15, 2018. On this day, we honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., a man who brought hope and healing to America. King dreamt that all Americans would be judged by their personalities and not by the color of their skin. King was born in Atlanta, Georgia on January 15, 1929 and the holiday is celebrated on the Monday closest to that date.
At the height of immigration between 1902 and 1924, the public was permitted to visit Ellis Island as observers of the “immigrant experience.” The article below written by Ernest Hamlin Abbott, published in the Outlook MAGAZINE.
Ellis Island occupies a physical and emotional location no other historic site can match. Ellis Island provides multiple lenses on culture, race, memory and history, through which an American drama of passage, uncertainty and optimism can be better understood.
Ellis Island is hauntingly beautiful. The architecture is magnificent, the views are unparalleled, and the history is palpable. It is the center of global immigration in the harbor of one of the world’s iconic cities. It is a timeless place that personally touches all of us, because all of us have an immigration story.
From 1892 to 1954, over twelve million immigrants entered the United States through the portal of Ellis Island, a small island in New York Harbor. Ellis Island is located in the upper bay just off the New Jersey coast, within the shadow of the Statue of Liberty. Through the years, this gateway to the new world was enlarged from its original 3.3 acres to 27.5 acres mostly by landfill obtained from ship ballast and possibly excess earth from the construction of the New York City subway system.
Congratulations to Peg Breen, the staff and Trustees of the New York Landmarks Conservancy for 45 years of helping to preserve New York’s architectural heritage. Ms. Breen, President of the Conservancy and Board Member of Save Ellis Island, Inc. has been instrumental in assisting Save Ellis Island and the National Park Service with stabilization and preservation efforts on the south side of Ellis Island.
French street artist JR awakens history with his ‘Unframed – Ellis Island’ Exhibition. The tour and exhibition provide an immersive visual and sensory experience loaded with historical significance. It is not to be missed! ~ Rachael Silverstein, The Culture Trip
The work, which is accessible by guided tour, will remain up “until it decides to disappear.”