Ellis Island Archives - The Race Card Project

Your German parents started the war

June 14, 2021June 14, 2021 American Dream, Catholic School, Ellis Island, German, High School, immigrate, Janice Cooper, MN, nazi, NY, parents, War, WWI, WWII

Janice Cooper,
MN.

My newly married parents immigrated to the U.S. from Germany via Ellis Island during the mid 50’s to follow the American Dream. Growing up in small town Michigan and attending Catholic school, my younger brother and I were constantly accused of being Nazis during our grade school years. Even though my parents spoke English well, their German accents were enough ammunition for our classmates to think that my parents, and their unborn children were responsible for WWII. I will always remember seeing a drawing, along with that sinking feeling in my stomache, when I saw the confiscated piece of notebook paper on my 4th grade teacher’s desk with drawings of American bombers striking our clearly-labled German house).

Many years later, I can laugh at it now, since the race card stopped following me once I hit high school…But I also I think about how the race card does affect those young and eager families who still come to Ameria to chase their own American Dreams.

Grandfather German immigrant citizen acclimated USA

May 27, 2021 acclimate, CA, citizen, Ellis Island, grandfather, Olivenhain, Susan Mitschke Ccott

Susan Mitschke Ccott,
Olivenhain, CA

Grandfather Mitschke came to America through Ellis Island. He learned English and acclimated into the USA society. My great grandfather on dad’s side also came to America from Germany and ended up in Olivenhain California… Adam Wiegand

Call Me Irish, Not Just White

March 12, 2019March 12, 2019 Belfast, CA, define, Ellis Island, grandmother, identify, impression, irish, Northern Ireland., Rowen, San Francisco, UK, white

Rowen,
San Francisco, CA.

I was always close to my grandmother, although she died when I was pretty young -she made a big impression on me. She was a strong woman and that came through.She had come to the US when she was 21, just her and her sister. They left Belfast Northern Ireland after a childhood of being raided on a regular basis by the British. They landed in New York Ellis Island. The first years were tough but they went on to better lives. They were the youngest of 11 children, and the only ones who came to the US, so I ended up having more relatives spread throughout the UK then I do here.When I got old enough I saved and traveled to the UK, in search of the people I identified with. I think everyone should take this trip, whether you can find your relatives or not-just seeing the country you came from is a learning experience. I learned more about my family history- but also about American History while there. In the UK white people are not just white- but White-English, White Irish, White Scottish, as well as British African, Carribean African, etc. I liked my etnicity being acknowledged, because I am proud of my backround, and that is the side of my family that I identify with. Not only because my dna is over 60% Irish, but because of my grandmother, and my mother. I know even though after that trip it was clear that I was culturally an American, my roots and characteristics passed down, the things we have in all of us that make us different- and add to our American culture, we should respect in everyone. There are racial and ethnic differences everywhere, but nowhere are there so many conversations, or focus on it as here, everyone is fighting to be recognised in their own right- maybe because we are so big, with so many cultures. All of that said -you can’t move forward if you’re always looking back. So take what you know and keep going.

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