As you may have read here at 100 Years in America, the story of Ellis Island is close to my heart. I am particularly interested in the side of the island whose saga had long gone untold: the hospital. My great-grandmother and her young son spent time there one-hundred years ago during his bout with measles after their arrival from Hungary in 1909.
I was excited in 2007 to learn of Lorie Conway's decade-long research into the Ellis Island hospital. I highlighted her work along with my great-grandmother's story here and quickly purchased her book Forgotten Ellis Island: The Extraordinary Story of America's Immigrant Hospital.
Unfortunately, I was unable to attend a screening of the Forgotten Ellis Island film, but now look forward to the national showing on February 2nd of the PBS special, narrated by Elliott Gould. According to the website, PBS' Forgotten Ellis Island "is a powerful tribute to the best and worst of America's dealings with its new citizens-to-be."
Visit the Forgotten Ellis Island website (particularly this nice tour of the book and film) for additional details about Lorie Conway's journey back into the history of this long-overlooked side of the beloved island on which so many of our ancestors spent their first days in America.
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