Closing the Golden Door: Asian Migration and the Hidden History of Exclusion at Ellis Island - Webinar

Ellis Island and New York are associated with large-scale European immigration while Angel Island and California are more often associated with Asian immigration. How does our understanding of Asian American history change when we shift our focus to Ellis Island and to New York? Why did Asian immigrants come to Ellis Island and New York? At the same time, how does our understanding of Ellis Island change when we view it from the perspectives of Asian immigrants and Asian Americans? Why were Japanese New Yorkers being interned on Ellis Island during World War II? If you have ever wondered about these questions, join us for an accessible exploration of Asian migration, exclusion, detention and deportation at Ellis Island. Anna Pegler-Gordon is a Professor at Michigan State University, where she teaches in the Asian Pacific American Studies Program and in the James Madison College, an undergraduate residential college specializing in the interdisciplinary study of public policy and public affairs. Register here.