immigration and innovation: 1860 - present 

Overview

With the dedication of the "The Statue of Liberty Enlightening the World" in New York Harbor in 1886, the United States' national identity would be shaped by its policies about, conceptualization of, and public opinion regarding immigration.  In turn, the illumination of Liberty's torch has changed over time and for different groups of people. 

Nearly 15 million immigrants arrived in the United States between 1860 and 1900.  From 1900 - 1950 that number was around 20 million.  The latter half of the century saw an increase in immigration arrivals to over 25 million. During the first two decades of the 21st century, immigrants coming to the US have averaged just over 1 million per year.  

Each person and family that arrives to the United States has a story.   It is rare for these stories to be taught to students with a focus on "innovation" by immigrants.  This module's goal is to provide those stories.  As Ronald Takaki shared in his impressive work A Different Mirror (1993),  "While our stories contain the memories of different communities, together they inscribe a larger narrative." In short, knowing about the contributions of immigrants to the US can shape our understanding of the nation and ourselves.