The Public History of Immigration: Exploring the Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration

The purpose of this thesis was to study the public history of immigration through looking at the specific site of the Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration located on Ellis Island in New York Harbor. The site acted as an immigration station from 1892 to 1954, processing over 12 million immigrants. The story of immigration is remembered in American history in a certain way due to myths and the narrative of the "melting pot." This thesis explores how the national identity of America has been formed through the ideas of immigration and how the museum aims to break these myths and explore the true experience of the immigrant during the peak immigration years. I first discusses the significance of the "white-ethnic revival" of the 1970s and how different generations have interacted with their immigrant heritage; generations tend to remember the immigration experience differently depending on social trends and policies of the time. I then explore how the Museum came to be and tensions between the visions for the museum among various groups responsible for funding and planning the Museum. Finally, I a more specific look at the exhibits within the museum and how conventions of public history contribute to the interpretation of immigration in America as a whole. Museums contribute to the formation of a national identity, and the story told at the Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration influences how Americans remember immigration and how we interact with the complex history of the United States on a daily basis.