American Immigration

American Immigration

During the early 1900’s a vast amount of people both immigrated and migrated to the United States in search of money, better jobs, new lives, etc. Yet, the people who immigrated and migrated to the United States were each a part of different cultures: from Italian to German, French to Jewish, Irish to African American (American Cities/New York/African American/Intergroup Relations/Color Lines). New York City was a prime location for the immigrants and migrants of the time to create their new lives. They joked that “The Jews own New York, the Irish run it and the Negroes enjoy it” (American Cities/New York/African American/Intergroup Relations/Color Lines). The single line clearly shows how each group, Jewish, Italian, and African American, had distinct experiences from one another. Although they had experiences that were different, the immigrants and migrants all experienced some of the same feelings, being in a new place, being discriminated against and being alone. After immigrating and migrating to the United States, Eastern European Jews, Italians, and African Americans had experiences that were unique as well as similar to each other.

The first experience of immigrants and migrants was the area of neighborhood they chose to live in. In New York, African Americans migrated primarily to Harlem, yet were scattered in different neighborhoods. This was an ideal location for African Americans, since “most people in New York were so busy they hadn’t time to spend hating other people” (American Cities/New York/African American/Intergroup Relations/Color Lines). Although most of the New Yorkers did not discriminate, there was still a portion of the population that contained Southern whites, who felt that the African Americans were taking over the white neighborhoods (American Cities/New York/African American/Intergroup Relations/Color Lines). Within these neighborhoods was where the African Americans encountered prejudice and persecution (Global View/Arrival/Northern Train Stations/letters/The Exodus During the World War). Although the African Americans moved north to escape the effects of slavery, the prejudices still followed them to New York, where being spread across the city did not help.

The Italians and the Eastern European Jews, on the other hand, immigrated to New York “as part of a larger family, kin or vi...

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...merican ideals to prove that.

Eastern European Jews, Italians and African Americans had experiences, which allowed the groups to connect and feel as one group, immigrating and migrating to find a better life, and also separated them from one another. Through the neighborhoods they lived in, the organizations and churches they began, the jobs they worked in, and accepting American ideals as their own, the immigrants were similar in their experiences. The African Americans experienced more prejudices due to their race then the Italians or the Jews. This, overall, affected their way of life and experiences in America, while the Italians and Jews led fairly typical American lives. This same problem of forcing American Ideals upon immigrants to prevent discrimination is still an issue today. Should the only way for immigrants and migrants to live enjoyable lives are to conform to American ideals and morals, or should each individual be allowed the choice to be different and not undergo assumptions made by the American Citizens? People should be treated equally whether they choose to assimilate or continue to follow their culture. This is the land of the free home of the brave.