Encyclopedia of Ellis Island - by Barry Moreno (Hardcover)

About the Book

Ellis Island, at the southern tip of Manhattan, was the major portal for European immigrants to the United States and looms large in 19th century and early 20th century history. After extensive restoration, today it is a national symbol and important museum. Authored by a noted historian and librarian at the Ellis Island Immigration Museum, this is the first encyclopedia devoted to the Island, documenting its various incarnations. It contains more than 430 essay entries on the crucial people, operations, rooms and buildings, events, immigration laws and acts, organizations, and other terms associated with the island's history.

This ready reference is perfect for synthesizing information for student reports on immigration and heritage. Genealogists and browsers will find this captivating reading as well. A chronology, primary document appendixes, and plentiful photos are added value.

Book Synopsis

Ellis Island, at the southern tip of Manhattan, was the major portal for European immigrants to the United States and looms large in 19th century and early 20th century history. After extensive restoration, today it is a national symbol and important museum. Authored by a noted historian and librarian at the Ellis Island Immigration Museum, this is the first encyclopedia devoted to the Island, documenting its various incarnations. It contains more than 430 essay entries on the crucial people, operations, rooms and buildings, events, immigration laws and acts, organizations, and other terms associated with the island's history.

This ready reference is perfect for synthesizing information for student reports on immigration and heritage. Genealogists and browsers will find this captivating reading as well. A chronology, primary document appendixes, and plentiful photos are added value.

Review Quotes

"As the primary entry port for European immigrants coming to the U.S., Ellis Island was a symbol of hope for many and a disappointment for some. Anyone interested in the situation of those who landed there and those deported from there will find this encyclopedia of its history and processes compelling reading as well as useful information. The author is the librarian and historian at the Ellis Island Immigration Museum....Students of nineteenth- and twentieth-century American history, cultural heritage, and immigration policy will find this source enlightening. Descendants of those who arrived in the U.S. via Ellis Island will be moved by its description of their experiences. It is an excellent companion to the author's previous work, The Statue of Liberty Encyclopedia (2000) and is recommended for school, public, and undergraduate libraries."-Booklist

"[A]n A-to-Z resource of everything you want to know about Ellis island, from "Abbreviations" to "Zucker, Edward D." The volume also includes a helpful introduction that briefly, but thoroughly, describes the island's history and gives a chronology."-Cobblestone Magazine

"Besides being a useful guide to the eventful history of a remarkable island, the Encyclopedia would be of interest to libraries where readers wished to find out more about US immigration policy in general."-Reference Reviews

?[P]rovides a fine A-Z compendium of Ellis Island people and events, tracing important paths in immigration, tackling major subjects and history pertaining to immigration trends and laws, and serving as an excellent high school or public library reference for any patrons studying U.S. immigration history.?-MBR Bookwatch

?As the primary entry port for European immigrants coming to the U.S., Ellis Island was a symbol of hope for many and a disappointment for some. Anyone interested in the situation of those who landed there and those deported from there will find this encyclopedia of its history and processes compelling reading as well as useful information. The author is the librarian and historian at the Ellis Island Immigration Museum....Students of nineteenth- and twentieth-century American history, cultural heritage, and immigration policy will find this source enlightening. Descendants of those who arrived in the U.S. via Ellis Island will be moved by its description of their experiences. It is an excellent companion to the author's previous work, The Statue of Liberty Encyclopedia (2000) and is recommended for school, public, and undergraduate libraries.?-Booklist/Reference Books Bulletin

?Besides being a useful guide to the eventful history of a remarkable island, the Encyclopedia would be of interest to libraries where readers wished to find out more about US immigration policy in general.?-Reference Reviews

?Filled with a lot of information, this is an excellent volume on the fascinating history of Ellis Island....Useful for school reports or just browsing, this book brings to light material for an interesting look at a major part of our history. Recommended.?-Library Media Connection

?Moreno, a librarian and historian with the Ellis Island Immigration Museum, has compiled a very useful encyclopedia with 374 alphabetical entries about the daily life of Ellis Island....It is recommended for most libraries as a supplement to other books on the topic of immigration and ethnicity. Recommended. Academic Collections.?-Choice

"ÝP¨rovides a fine A-Z compendium of Ellis Island people and events, tracing important paths in immigration, tackling major subjects and history pertaining to immigration trends and laws, and serving as an excellent high school or public library reference for any patrons studying U.S. immigration history."-MBR Bookwatch

"[P]rovides a fine A-Z compendium of Ellis Island people and events, tracing important paths in immigration, tackling major subjects and history pertaining to immigration trends and laws, and serving as an excellent high school or public library reference for any patrons studying U.S. immigration history."-MBR Bookwatch

"Filled with a lot of information, this is an excellent volume on the fascinating history of Ellis Island....Useful for school reports or just browsing, this book brings to light material for an interesting look at a major part of our history. Recommended."-Library Media Connection

"Moreno, a librarian and historian with the Ellis Island Immigration Museum, has compiled a very useful encyclopedia with 374 alphabetical entries about the daily life of Ellis Island....It is recommended for most libraries as a supplement to other books on the topic of immigration and ethnicity. Recommended. Academic Collections."-Choice

About the Author

BARRY MORENO is Librarian and Historian, Museum Services Division, at the Ellis Island Immigration Museum in New York. He is the author of The Statue of Liberty Encyclopedia (2000).