Center for Migration Studies (NY)

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American Committee on Italian Migration: Proceedings of the Third National Symposium

Authored by Jannette Sheffield

First page of material presented at the American Committee on Italian Migration's Third National Symposium

First page of material presented at the American Committee on Italian Migration’s Third National Symposium

A defining principle of American democracy is the inherent equality of all mankind.  America’s history of immigration legislation illustrates, however, that advocates of equality must often struggle to cause this principle to be reflected in law.  This document, which contains excerpts from material presented at the American Committee on Italian Migration’s (ACIM) Third National Symposium on Italian Immigration and American National Interest, shows that legislation antithetical to the values of democracy can be reformed through activism.  The document highlights ACIM’s role in the trajectory from the McCarran-Walter Act of 1952, which resulted in large-scale national and racial discrimination, to the race-neutral reforms of the Hart-Cellar Act of 1965.  It exhibits ACIM’s advocacy for Italian immigrants in the U.S. political system, its instrumental role in influencing legislative reform and its use of Christian principles to inspire political participation. Continue reading →

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The Cuban Refugee Problem

Authored by Alexis Stone

Cover of Voorhees’ January 1961 report on the Cuban refugee problem

Cover of Voorhees’ January 1961 report on the Cuban refugee problem

On January 1, 1959, after years of guerrilla warfare, Fidel Castro’s forces ousted Cuban President Fulgencio Batista (Daniel, 2004, p. 193). Nowhere was the impact of Castro’s revolutionary socialist state felt more acutely than in Miami Florida, the principal port of entry for Cubans seeking refuge (Mitchell, 1962, p. 3).

 

Report to the President on the Cuban Refugee Problem

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Investigating Unfair Labor Practices in Haiti

Authored by Alana Coulum

Haiti 1

This is the front of the VHS Tape. The front cover features two people from the Institute interviewing a woman wearing a mask to protect her identity

For my academic service-learning project, I chose to volunteer at the Center for Migration Studies, which is an institute devoted to the advocacy of migrants around the world. It is an organization backed by an international group of Catholic ordained and lay people, and the institution holds an impressive amount of immigration information in their archives. I was tasked with cataloguing their audio/visual collection, which was small but disorganized. In the collection, there were many documentaries telling the stories of immigrant groups who came to the United States. The Center for Migration Studies in general has an enormous amount of resources about Italian-Americans and their experience. One VHS tape in particular caught my eye because of its title: “Mickey Mouse in Haiti”. This is a video exploiting the terrible working conditions of laborers in Haiti making apparel for The Walt Disney Company. This was part of a campaign sponsored by the Institute for Global Labour and Rights, to convince Disney to raise the minimum wage for factory workers in Haiti. The entire documentary is available here on the Institute’s official YouTube page.

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Unaccompanied Minor Immigrants in 1910

Authored By:  Anne M. Zadora

Above are the pages that document the conversation between Gennarino Pesce/Eddie Fish and the investigator from Naples, Italy. Images are copyright to the Center for Migration Studies and are part of the St. Raphael Collection.

Above are the pages that document the conversation between Gennarino Pesce/Eddie Fish and the investigator from Naples, Italy. Images are copyright to the Center for Migration Studies and are part of the St. Raphael Collection.

Justice Neal’s memorandum, “The Homeland Security Act of 2002…. It also introduced a new term — unaccompanied alien child — to define a child who has no lawful immigration status in the United States, has not attained 18 years of age, and who has no parent or legal guardian in the United States… (2007).”  This clarifies what it is meant in the modern era to be a child immigrant who has entered the United States of America without making use of proper channels.  Throughout immigration history this instance has occurred, and with sometimes unfortunate results including deportation.

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Refugees Magazine-April 1985

Authored by Christina Stankewicz

Front cover of Refugees Magazine - April 1985

Front cover of Refugees Magazine – April 1985

The object featured is an issue of Refugees Magazine from 1985 that was published by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner of Refugees (UNHCR). In this issue the main focus is on the emergency situation in Africa that occurred in the 1980s due to famine. This magazine serves as a way of calling out to give aid to this part of the world and make people aware of the issues at hand.

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Children’s Librarians Assisting History Teachers Website Review

Authored by Chris Lund

http://wwiresources.yolasite.com

Website created by Joseph Pascullo, Tanya Burgess, Roseann Podias and Bernadette Regina

Cpl. Alex Pisciotta in full uniform, France, circa 1917

Cpl. Alex Pisciotta in full uniform, France, circa 1917

This website tells the story of Corporal Alex Pisciotta, an Italian Immigrant who served the United States Army during World War I.  The narratives on the site are presented in the first person, as if written by Pisciotta himself, and are complemented by a series of photographs, all taken by Pisciotta.  The overall presentation gives the feel of a real-time blog written by a World War I soldier.  The underlying purpose of this style of presentation is its potential to attract and engage a younger audience, which in turn can assist school teachers in their efforts to teach students about World War I. Continue reading →

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South Village Historical Walking Tour Review

Authored by Chris Lund

South Village Historical Walking Tour

Map and Presentation created by Leanna Ladouceur, Mary Glynn & Melissa Henderson

South Village Historical Walking Tour Powerpoint Presentation

South Village Historical Walking Tour Powerpoint Presentation

This map and presentation combine to provide a detailed guided historical walking tour of Manhattan’s South Village, home to many Italian immigrants at the turn of the century. The tour highlights many key locations and areas, featuring buildings from this period which are still standing today, along with those that have been demolished and replaced. Historical photographs are provided to allow tourgoers to compare each area’s present appearance to its past. Additional information is also included about each stop, adding depth, context and perspective to the modern scenery. Continue reading →

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Left to right, front: Thomas Genadio, VM. Left to right, rear: Dr. Edward R. Laux, Alfred Scotti, Osipee, New Hampshire, 1930

Authored by Sean O’Donnell

This is a photograph of Vito Marcantonio, Thomas Genadio, Alfred Scotti and Dr. Edward Laus at Osipee, New Hampshire.

Left to right, front: Thomas Genadio, VM. Left to right, rear: Dr. Edward R. Laux, Alfred Scotti, Osipee, New Hampshire, 1930 (front), from Vito Marcantonio Photograph Collection at CMS NY

Back of photograph, Vito Marcantonio, Thomas Genadio, Alfred Scotti and Dr. Edward Laus at Osipee, New Hampshire.
Left to right, front: Thomas Genadio, VM. Left to right, rear: Dr. Edward R. Laux, Alfred Scotti, Osipee, New Hampshire, 1930 (back), from Vito Marcantonio Photograph Collection at CMS NY

Left to Right, front: Thomas Genadio, vm. Left to Right, rear: dr. Edward R. Laux, Alfred Scotti, Osipee, New Hampshire, 1930 is a photograph in The Center for Migration Studies of New York’s Vito Marcantonio Records.  This is a black and white photograph that has been digitized as a digital image as part of a preservation partnership between The Center for Migration Studies and St. John’s University.  The physical collection, as described by Brown, consists of  “[p]rinted [d]ocuments,” “[p]apers and [p]ersonal [m]aterials” and “[p]hotographs” (Brown 1998, p. 3).  Brown states that the photograph series “contains 77 photographs spanning the years from Marcantonio’s birth to an exhibit held in his honor in 1956” (Brown 1998, p. 4).  This picture is listed by Brown as the fifth item in the Photographs Series as “Left to right, front: Thomas Genadio, VM. Left to right, rear: Dr. Edward R. Laux, Alfred Scotti, Osipee, New Hampshire, 1930. One 2 X 3” original print. Coll. #091, Print #3640” (Brown 1998, p. 7).  The photograph is of Vito Marcantonio with several other men in Osipee, New Hampshire, taken in 1930.

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Endres Collection – From the Office of the Attorney General

Authored by Alison Mirabella

OfficeWatermark1

Letter (1979) from The Office of The Attorney General offering amendments to The Refugee Act of 1980.

The Endres Collection consists of only thirteen boxes from the personal collection of Arthur P. Endres, who served as counsel for the House Judicatory Committee, Subcommittee on Immigration, Refugees, and International Law. And yet, contained within these boxes, are the legal proceedings, correspondences and notes that would shape the lives of millions of future immigrants seeking a new life in the United States.

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Historical Background on Immigration laws and Effects of the Legislation Specifics

Authored by Erica Mohai

Verification/Record Keeping Requirements

Verification & Record Keeping Requirements-Summary of House Report 99-1000 (1986).

San Antonio Express Article- December 30, 1984

San Antonio Express Article- December 30, 1984

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Arthur Endres Collection controlled by the Center for Migration Studies of New York (CMS) contains government documents concerning immigration.  CMS came into possession of the collection in the 1980s.  The collection consists of documents Endres created or used during his tenure (1973-1989) as counsel for the United States House of Representatives Judiciary Committee, Subcommittee on Immigration, Refugees, and International Law. Continue reading →