Every week, the AWM is excited to bring you stories written by our visitors in our Story of the Day exhibit, which features typewriters that visitors can interact with directly, or our newest temporary exhibit, My America: Immigrant and Refugee Writers Today. Check back weekly for new stories, and visit My-America.org to see a virtual version of the exhibit, share your story, and possibly be featured here!
Part of our newest temporary exhibit features an interactive station that allowed visitors to write their family’s story on a luggage tag and stamp it with the reason their family came to the United States or how they’ve moved within the country, whether it was Family, Refuge, by Force, for Freedom or Opportunity, or a different reason. Below are four stories shared in the exhibit, which opened to the public November 21, 2019. Visit My-America.org or comment below to share your family’s immigration (or migration) story.
“My grandfather’s family came from England. He – George – left behind a brother – Fred – and made a living in America. When he married my grandmother Vivian, they had a large, beautiful family in DeKalb, IL. They’ve both passed away now, and I miss them.”
12/14/2019
“My paternal grandparents came from Ireland in the 1870s. Both come from Abbeyfeale in County Limerick. Our family lore has it that they didn’t meet until after they arrived in Chicago.”
11/20/19
A. Leahy
“One half – Jews trying to get away from pogroms/poverty c. 1912, settled in Chicago.
Other half – Greeks in 1977 moving to Chicago to find better opportunity, moved to Rogers Park.”
1/29
“My sister left to work as a nurse in NY when I was in kindergarten.
She’s 18 years older than me.
I followed her footsteps. Now also a nurse, living in MN.
We remain very close.”
12/20/19