September 30, 2020 @ 7:00pm
My grandmother came through Ellis Island by herself as a young girl. She was from a family of sharecroppers in Italy. Each slave family had to have 10 members tending the fields and crops for the Don of the village. Once a family provided 10 workers, extra children were allowed to attend school up until 4th grade. My grandmother was the chosen extra child that got to go to school. The villagers pooled their change from goat milk sales, personal crops from their own plots and eggs and together, bought her a ticket on a boat and sent her to America.
I am very proud to be second generation of this family. I was blessed to hear many stories from my grandmother growing up on the hardships she overcame, not knowing English, being alone, finding work, eventually buying the home we all had our family dinners in and learning survival skills!
Tune into @denvillelibrary‘s Immigration and Ellis Island Virtual Program and learn more historic stories like mine!
Bruce E. Schundler, a long time volunteer for the National Park Service will present an overall summary of immigration to the United States, and the role Ellis Island played during some of the busiest years of immigration. Zoom link will be provided upon registration.
Register for this class at Denville Library!
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