Ellis Island national monument

This Day in History: May 11, 1965

Ellis Island was incorporated as part of the Statue of Liberty National Monument on May 11, 1965.
From 1892 to 1954, over twelve million immigrants entered the United States through the portal of Ellis Island, a small island in New York Harbor in the shadow of the Statue of Liberty.

Photo: New Americans arrive at Ellis Island in 1902.

The Main Building on Ellis Island is now a museum dedicated to the history of immigration and the important role this island claimed during the mass migration of humanity in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Popular exhibits at Ellis Island include a Wall of Honor inscribed with more than 600,000 immigrants' names and the American Family Immigration Center, where visitors can search ship logs for passenger information and ship photos to find out more about their relatives who immigrated to this nation. This seems relevant in light of recent events and debates about immigration. Immigration is such an integral part of the history and purpose of this nation.

Source: http://www.nps.gov/elis/