ANNIE MOORE
ANNIE MOORE
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Annie Moore (April 24, 1874 – December 6, 1924) is a name etched into the bedrock of American history. On January 1, 1892, the 17-year-old from County Cork, Ireland, stepped off a boat and became the first immigrant processed at Ellis Island. Greeted with a $10 gold piece and the hope of a new life, her story is often presented as the idealized "Day One" of the American Dream.
However, recent events in Jersey City, in the shadow of Ellis Island, reveal a different reality for today's immigrants. We challenge the historical amnesia that often shapes the immigration debate.
Every immigrant carries a "Day One" story just as human as hers.
WHY IT IS IMPORTANT NOW
WHY IT IS IMPORTANT NOW
Annie Moore was a teenager traveling with her brothers to reunite with their parents in 1892. At that time, there were no visas, passports, or complicated quotas for European immigrants. The "right way" to immigrate was simply to show up. She was welcomed with celebration. In contrast, today, those seeking the same stability often face hostility and even detention.
The families impacted by strict enforcement today are pursuing the same stability. The difference lies not in their character or their desire to contribute, but in the legal framework and enforcement climate they encounter upon arrival.
Ellis Island’s first building.
https://www.history.com/articles/remembering-annie-moore-ellis-islands-first-immigrant
Annie Moore statue, Ellis Island. (Credit: Richard T. Nowitz/ Getty Images)
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