ANNIE MOORE
ANNIE MOORE
April 24, 1874 – December 6, 1924
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Annie Moore is a name proudly etched in American history. There is even a statue of her and her younger brothers on Ellis Island.
On January 1, 1892, this 17-year-old girl from County Cork, Ireland, arrived by boat and became the first immigrant processed at Ellis Island. On that same day, the first federal immigration station opened, replacing the old Castle Garden processing center in Manhattan.
Annie was greeted warmly and even received a $10 gold piece. Her arrival is often depicted as the idealized first day of the American Dream.
Her story, that of a teenage girl who, along with her two younger brothers, came to the United States to reunite with their parents, mirrors the recent experiences of unaccompanied migrant children who face much harsher judgments in their search for family. Can you imagine erecting a statue for these children?
Such a contrasting welcome on Ellis Island, backdrop to our city, highlights the difficult reality for our immigrant neighbors today, as we have been seeing in recent events.
Installed on July 15, 2026, on Jersey Avenue near Christie Kerr Women's Health Center (closest feasible spot, without entering the state park, to Ellis Island, seen at the bottom of the map)
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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