This photograph, Ellis Island of the West, from the National Archives, Records of the Public Health Service shows just a few of the many Asian immigrants that came to the United States via the Angel Island. Angel Island, which is located on the San Francisco Bay, was an United States Immigration Station from 1910 until 1941. Asian immigrants stayed on Ellis Island in housing compounds for a week or two until they were processed (National Archives). Some even stayed for as long as two years in the housing compounds due to health concerns (National Archives). According to Takaki, most of these Asian immigrants went to go work on the railroads, as that was the only work available for them at the time. These Asian immigrants were worked constantly and were paid very little compared to their white counterparts. Now Angel Island is a National Landmark and State Park that has become a key tourist attraction and is known for its hiking trails as well as other different outdoor activities.
According to the Angel Island Conservancy, Angel Island is known to have a rich history. Around three thousand years ago, Angel Island was mainly used as a fishing and hunting site for the Coastal Miwok Indians. Then as the years went on, the island served as a haven for Spanish Explorer, Juan Manuel de-Ayala, as a cattle farm for local cattle, and even as a United States Army post during the Civil War. KQED also states that Angel Island was used a port of entry for immigrants from only China, Japan, Philippines, India, and even Russia. However, approximately eleven to thirty percent of those who entered through Angel Island were deported back to their home country. In 1997, Angel Island was officially named a National Historic Landmark. Angel Island has now been converted into a state park that attracts many tourists as well as the locals.
When my parents immigrated to the United States from South Asia in the 1900’s to live the American dream, they were presented with a few obstacles however the obstacles weren’t as challenging unlike the many other Asian immigrants who made that shift years before. Takaki mentions how the immigrants from the decades past were not able live a comfortable life. They were made to work under harsh conditions and were paid almost to nothing. But they continued to work hard no matter what conditions were presented to them. In this undated photograph, Ellis Island of the West, it shows a group of Asian immigrants who have arrived in the land of opportunity. They have no idea what lies in their future, but from analyzing this photo, they seem to be content because they have only heard about the luxuries and opportunities present in this nation and are glad to be a part of it. Over the next few decades, the amount of Asian immigrants present in the United States vastly increased. Although, working in the gold mines and railroads and even as laundrymen were not easy jobs as Takaki pointed out, the Asian immigrants still made the sacrifice to leave their loved ones behind in pursuit of attaining a better life. Takaki also draws upon the fact that some of these Asian immigrants were single, but they were not allowed to marry white women as it was against the law since they were not considered equal to their white counterparts.
Although this photograph has been claimed to be not dated by the source, we can presume that it was taken between 1910 and 1941 as this was when Angel Island was used as an immigration station. When looking closely at this photograph, it can be seen that it primarily consists of women and even some young children, which were not heard of in the earlier decades. But as times changed, women were starting to become more prominent in society. Takaki mentions how “Chinese men spent endless hours talking about their lives. [Their] future had seemed so promising when they had left their villages for [the Gold Mountain]”. The exclusion act as well as the Ah Moy court decision prohibited the entry of Chinese women along with the wives of the Chinese laborers who were working in the United States. This photograph depicts an important turning point during Asian American history because it shows the women and children of Asian American laborers arriving in the United States. After decades of resistance, women and children were finally welcomed into the country. Although, these Asian immigrants still retreated into their separate economic and cultural communities, these communities ended up calling attention to white tourists. Takaki explains how that this concept of tourism became a new “necessity” and how it reinforced that the Asians were still considered “strangers” in America.
The photograph is a clear representation of what the photographer intended; he intended to capture a major turning point in the history of Asian immigrants. The photographer does not focus on the surrounding details such as the landscape, but more on the women and their facial expressions. Initially, while searching through the archives, it was difficult to find a photograph that illustrated the entrance of Asian women into the United States. At first, this photo seemed empty and vague with its meaning, but when zoomed in on the details of the image, it could be seen that it wasn’t all Asian men, but on the other hand, there were also women and children present.
In conclusion, Ellis Island of West served as a major port for Asian immigrants to enter this nation and live the American dream. Although, they many faced many hardships in adjusting to life here, the labor force, and their empty lives because their family were still in their hometown, they worked very hard to sustain a decent life. And eventually, their families joined them in this nation filling the emptiness in their lives. This photograph “completes” the lives of the Asian immigrants.