Immigration is a controversial subject as fresh as today’s headlines and as old as early American history.
The first Europeans to settle here were regarded warily by the Native Americans – often with good reason. By the mid-1700s, widespread acts of bloodshed and terror were commonplace within the Alleghenies, and atrocities were committed by both Americans and Europeans, often against women and children.
As each new wave of immigrants became assimilated, they tended to look down upon and feel threatened by the next wave coming ashore. Our region’s earliest immigrants, Germans and British, disliked the Scots-Irish who, in turn, looked down on the Irish.
By the late-19th century, our economy was booming and unskilled labor was needed by the boatload.Immigrants came from central and southern Europe: Poles and Slovaks, Italians and Greeks, who often were lumped disdainfully together as “Hungarians.”
During the first quarter of the 20th century, the mills continued to grow and the minesmultiplied. Now incoming laborers were Eastern Europeans and African-Americans from the South – and things got ugly again.
Membership in the Ku Klux Klan exploded. Crosses regularly burned on hillsides. Klansmen marched openly in the streets and gathered in houses of worship. Acts of violence once again became commonplace.
Not that much has changed. Today, as then, violence remains a part of the equation; people feel threatened by the newcomers; and we tend to think in generalizations.
One generalization is to lump all immigrants together. Most immigrants are in the United States legally: 35 million are either U.S. citizens,permanent residents with “green cards” or temporary visa holders. Just over 11 million are “unauthorized” immigrants.
Sadly, this current political climate has generated a reticence toexplore or tell immigrants’ stories. The topic is considered just too hot to touch right now.
A nonprofit organization with which I work is completing a feasibility study for the conversion of a former church – built a century ago by immigrants – intoa theater for dramatic arts. Part of the concept was to create stage productions that would present turn-of-the-20th-century immigrant experiences.
Consultants, board members and theatre professionals alike all were uncomfortable with the concept. Which is a shame, because the typical immigrant story of both yesterday and today is one of great human endeavor, courage and persistence.
Imagine relinquishingeverything you’ve known or owned and leaving your family and friendsto start over in a radically different, strange place. Legal immigrants spend years and thousands of dollars going through the long, involved process of obtaining a visa, then permanent resident status and finally, perhaps, citizenship.
Immigrants become much like children again while slowly, arduously learning a new language and new rules, getting a Social Security number, a driver’s license, an American education and, finally, employment. Their stories can be dramaticand offer valuable life lessons to us.
For all of these reasons, I’m excited by “Emigration-Immigration-Migration: Five Photographic Perspectives,” a civic-engagement project that will take place at the Westmoreland Museum of American Art (TheWestmoreland.org) this winter and early spring.
From January 20 through April 22, the museum will display images of multiple generations of immigrants, captured by a group of five photographers who are part of “The Documentary Works.” During the exhibition period, there will be special-topic programs scheduled as well.
Accompanying the exhibit from February 9 through May 6, will be “Tell Us Your Immigrant Story,” an interactive exhibit featuring written, audio and video narratives of people telling their immigration stories. The public is invited to participate by e-mailing .
“It’s an important topic,” Curator Barbara Jones said while explaining why the museum is doing this project. “[Immigration] is a vital part of what makes this country great.”
Immigration is controversial and, because it feeds fears,can bring out the worst in people.But individual immigrant stories, whether historical or contemporary,aremore likely to be inspiring and revealing of people at their best.