“Great Influx of Italians”, The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, January 27, 1905
The Brooklyn Daily Eagle’s January 27th, 1905 newspaper contained an article informing the people of Brooklyn about the 1,300 Italian immigrants that had just arrived in Ellis Island. The article points out that the Italian natives are shivering cold and do not seem to be used to the New York climate. When saying this, it almost seems hopeful that they won’t be here to stay, or won’t enjoy te United States enough to settle. It also mentions that they project many more Italian immigrants will be coming to America soon. The tone of the article isn’t clear although it seems much more negative than positive towards the immigrants.It details the great amounts of Italian Immigrants that came to America in the early 20th Century and references what was one of the first waves of Italian immigrants that would come to the US in the beginning of the period of mass migration to the US.
Arrival of Emigrants [I.e. Immigrants], Ellis Island, film (1906)
This film was made in May of 1906 by the American Mutoscope and Biograph Company for the citizens of New York. It was a silent film that depicted mass amounts of Italian Immigrants, most from Southern Italy, getting off a boat on the port of Ellis Island. Ellis Island was where most Italian immigrants originally came to in the US. It becomes obvious in the film that most of the Immigrants are from Southern Italy as many of them hold their belongings in what look like woven willow baskets that a farmer would use for their crops. Most of the Immigrants from Southern Italy were farmers and they came over for economic support as many farmers in Italy had recently gone into hard times economically. The Immigrants do not have visas as they weren’t required for immigration to the US at the time. They would, however, go through a helth examination after getting off of the boat. This source gives a great visual of the Italian immigrants as they first touch down in the United States. It is easy to notice how upbeat and happy they seem.