The immigrant experience at NYC's Tenement Museum

CBS Sunday Morning

26 Jun 201807:38

Summary

TLDRThe Tenement Museum's new exhibit, 'Under One Roof,' recreates the apartments of diverse families who lived at 103 Orchard Street, NYC, from the 1950s to 1970s. These families, including descendants of Nazi survivors, Puerto Rican migrants, and Chinese immigrants, reflect the Lower East Side's melting pot history. The exhibit explores the complex narrative of immigration, prejudice, and the American Dream, highlighting the 1965 Hart-Celler Act's impact on diversifying U.S. immigration and the ongoing debate on immigration policy.

Takeaways

🏠 The families featured are not biologically related but are connected through living in the same tenement building at 103 Orchard Street.
🌐 The tenement building represents the diverse immigrant experiences of the Lower East Side in New York City.
📅 The exhibit, 'Under One Roof', recreates the living conditions of the 1950s to 1970s for different immigrant families.
👥 The families include descendants of Nazi concentration camp survivors, Puerto Rican migrants, and Chinese immigrants.
📜 The term 'tenement' refers to an old type of apartment building, often associated with crowded and poor living conditions.
🌊 The Lower East Side has historically been a melting pot for immigrants from around the world, leading to waves of anti-immigrant sentiment.
🇺🇸 The 1965 Immigration and Nationality Act, also known as the Hart-Celler Act, significantly changed U.S. immigration policy by removing national origin quotas and focusing on skills and family relationships.
🏆 The families' stories highlight the American Dream and the opportunities for social mobility through hard work and education.
🔄 The exhibit confronts the complex and often controversial history of immigration in the United States, including prejudice and discrimination faced by various groups.
🏛️ The Tenement Museum's exhibit aims to educate visitors about the lives of working-class immigrants and the challenges they faced in their pursuit of a better life.

Q & A

What is the significance of 103 Orchard Street in New York's Lower East Side?
-103 Orchard Street is significant as it is the location of the tenement building that has been recreated as an exhibit in the Tenement Museum. It represents the living conditions of working-class immigrants and their families who lived there between the 1950s and 1970s.
What is the name of the newest exhibit in the Tenement Museum?
-The newest exhibit in the Tenement Museum is called 'Under One Roof'.
Who are the three families featured in the 'Under One Roof' exhibit?
-The three families featured are the Epsteins, descendants of Nazi concentration camp survivors; the Valdez family, descendants of Puerto Rican migrants; and the Wong family, Chinese immigrants.
What does the term 'tenement' refer to in the context of the museum?
-In the context of the museum, 'tenement' refers to an old word for an apartment building, particularly those that were home to working-class immigrants.
Why has immigration been controversial in the United States according to the script?
-Immigration has been controversial in the United States because each group that has come through has experienced some form of prejudice or discrimination, often stemming from the idea that they can't be American.
What was the impact of the Hart-Cellar Act of 1965 on immigration to the United States?
-The Hart-Cellar Act of 1965 eliminated quotas favoring European immigrants and significantly expanded the ability of all immigrants to sponsor family members. It allowed for immigrants to be admitted based on their skills and close relationships to those already in the country, leading to a surge in immigrants from Africa, the Middle East, and Asia.
How did the families in the tenement building contribute to the melting pot of cultures in the Lower East Side?
-The families in the tenement building contributed to the melting pot by bringing their unique cultures, foods, and traditions, which were shared and blended within the close quarters of the tenement, symbolizing the diverse and integrated community of the Lower East Side.
What was the role of the Wong family in the tenement building?
-The Wong family, Chinese immigrants, lived in the tenement building and contributed to the cultural diversity of the neighborhood. Yap Wong, one of the Wong children, became a librarian after studying hard and graduating from Yale.
What was the profession of Jose Valdez after he managed to become the building superintendent?
-After becoming the building superintendent, Jose Valdez went on to own a construction company in Puerto Rico.
How does Bella Epstein Seligson feel about immigration today?
-Bella Epstein Seligson is conflicted about immigration today. She is afraid of the potential for terror attacks but also afraid to deny immigrants the opportunity at life that her family had.
What does the 'Under One Roof' exhibit aim to do for visitors?
-The 'Under One Roof' exhibit aims to provide visitors with a glimpse into the lives of the diverse families who lived in the tenement, celebrating their stories and the opportunities they had in America.

Outlines

00:00

🏠 Under One Roof: The Tenement Museum's Immigrant Stories

The video script introduces the Tenement Museum's newest exhibit, 'Under One Roof,' which recreates the apartments of three diverse families who lived at 103 Orchard Street on New York's Lower East Side between the 1950s and 1970s. These families, with backgrounds as Nazi concentration camp survivors, Puerto Rican migrants, and Chinese immigrants, represent the broader immigrant experience. The exhibit confronts the uncomfortable truth of immigration's controversial history in the United States, where each group faced prejudice and discrimination. The script also touches on the historical context, including the Irish persecution, the influx of Jewish immigrants, and the post-World War II challenges faced by Holocaust survivors like the Epstein family. It discusses the 1965 Immigration and Nationality Act, which removed racial quotas and opened doors for immigrants from Africa, the Middle East, and Asia, leading to a more diverse American population.

05:00

🌐 The Impact of the Hart-Celler Act and Contemporary Immigration Debates

The second paragraph delves into the effects of the 1965 Hart-Celler Act, which abolished nationality quotas based on racist ideologies and prioritized skills and family reunification for immigration. This act led to a surge in immigrants from non-European backgrounds, significantly altering the demographic landscape of the United States. The script contrasts the historical push for diversity and inclusion with current debates on immigration, particularly President Trump's stance on ending 'chain migration.' It follows the stories of the Wong family's children, who achieved the American dream through education and hard work, becoming a librarian and a construction company owner. The narrative reflects on the emotional connection to 'home' and the complex feelings surrounding immigration policy, balancing fear of terrorism with the desire to offer opportunities to others, as experienced by the families featured in the museum. The script concludes with a reflection on the Tenement Museum's role in preserving and sharing these immigrant stories, which now attract hundreds of thousands of visitors annually.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Tenement Museum

The Tenement Museum is a historical museum located on the Lower East Side of New York City, which preserves and interprets the home of immigrant families. In the video, it is the setting for the exhibit 'Under One Roof,' showcasing the recreated apartments of diverse immigrant families who lived there from the 1950s to the 1970s. The museum serves as a tangible connection to the past, allowing visitors to explore the lives of immigrants and the challenges they faced.

💡Immigration

Immigration refers to the movement of people from one country to another with the intention of settling, residing, or working there. The video discusses the historical context of immigration to the United States, highlighting the prejudice and discrimination various immigrant groups have faced upon arrival. It also touches on the current debate over immigration policy, emphasizing the complexity of the issue and its impact on families.

💡Melting Pot

The term 'melting pot' metaphorically describes a society where diverse cultures, ethnicities, and backgrounds blend together to form a cohesive whole. In the context of the video, the Lower East Side is referred to as a 'melting pot' due to the influx of immigrants from various parts of the world living in close quarters, leading to cultural exchanges and integration.

💡Prejudice and Discrimination

Prejudice and discrimination are attitudes or actions reflecting unfair treatment of people based on their membership in a particular group. The video script mentions that each immigrant group that came to the United States experienced some form of prejudice or discrimination, such as the Irish being depicted with ape-like features in caricatures, reflecting the xenophobic sentiments of the time.

💡Concentration Camp Survivors

Concentration camp survivors are individuals who have endured and survived the horrific conditions of concentration camps, particularly those established by the Nazis during the Holocaust. In the video, Bella Epstein Seligson is mentioned as the daughter of such survivors, highlighting the resilience and the pursuit of a new life in America after escaping the atrocities of the Holocaust.

💡Migration Waves

Migration waves refer to the successive movements of large groups of people from one region to another over time. The video script describes how immigrants arrived in waves to the Lower East Side, each wave triggering a new set of anti-immigrant sentiments, illustrating the cyclical nature of immigration and the challenges faced by newcomers.

💡Executive Order

An executive order is a directive issued by the President of the United States that has much of the force of law. The video mentions an executive order by President Harry Truman in 1945 that allowed Holocaust survivors to come to the United States, underscoring the role of government policy in shaping immigration and providing relief to persecuted groups.

💡Chain Migration

Chain migration, also known as family reunification, is a process where immigrants sponsor family members to join them in their new country. The video discusses the 1965 Immigration and Nationality Act, which eliminated national origin quotas and facilitated chain migration, leading to a more diverse immigrant population in the United States.

💡Heart Act

The Hart-Celler Act, also known as the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, is a United States federal law that abolished the national origins quota system and opened the door for immigrants from Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. The video highlights this act as a turning point in American immigration policy, emphasizing its impact on the demographic composition of the country.

💡Opportunity

Opportunity refers to a set of circumstances that makes it possible to do something. In the video, the concept of opportunity is central to the immigrant experience, as it represents the chance for a better life in America. The families featured in the exhibit took advantage of the opportunities available to them, leading to improved lives and success for their descendants.

💡Home

Home is a place of residence, where one's heart and memories reside. The video script uses the concept of 'home' to reflect on the emotional ties and the sense of belonging that immigrants develop towards their new country. Despite the hardships they faced, the tenement building on Orchard Street became a home for the families, symbolizing their new beginning.

Highlights

The family in the picture is not biologically related but connected through their shared history in the same tenement building.

The tenement at 103 Orchard Street on New York's Lower East Side has been recreated as an exhibit in the Tenement Museum.

The exhibit, 'Under One Roof,' showcases the apartments of immigrants from the 1950s to 1970s.

The museum confronts the uncomfortable truth of prejudice and discrimination faced by immigrants in the U.S.

The Lower East Side has been a melting pot of immigrants from around the world since the 19th century.

Each immigrant wave triggered anti-immigrant sentiment, including the Irish, Jews, and others.

Annie Polland, who oversaw the exhibits, discusses the lives of the estimated 10,000 working-class immigrants.

The term 'tenement' refers to an old type of apartment building.

The melting pot of the Lower East Side was characterized by the diverse smells of different cuisines.

President Harry Truman's executive order in 1945 allowed Holocaust survivors to immigrate to the U.S. in significant numbers.

The Epstein family, survivors of Nazi concentration camps, found a new life in the tenement building.

The 1965 Immigration and Nationality Act, also known as the Hart-Celler Act, removed quotas based on race and expanded family reunification.

The act led to a surge in immigrants from Africa, the Middle East, and Asia.

The Wong family, Chinese immigrants, had high expectations for their children to pursue stable professions.

Yaping Wong, despite her parents' expectations, pursued her passion for dance and became a librarian.

Jose Valdez, a Puerto Rican immigrant, became the building superintendent and later owned a construction company.

Bella Epstein Seligson, a daughter of Holocaust survivors, became a nurse and her sons are doctors.

The exhibit 'Under One Roof' allows visitors to see the bedroom of the Wong children and celebrate their immigrant experience.

The tenement building, once a home to these families, now serves as a remarkable testament to their immigrant journey.