Freedman,
Russell. Angel Island: Gateway to Gold Mountain. Clarion, 2013. 96pp.
Lexile 1140.
While most people think of Ellis Island as the historic entry
point for immigrants, more than a half a million newcomers
entered the U.S. through Angel Island in San Francisco Bay. From 1910 to 1940, immigrants mostly from
Asia spent weeks and even months anxiously waiting to see if they would be admitted. This excellent history quotes from transcripts
of the interrogations that decided their fates and incorporates poignant poems
in Chinese characters that still adorn the walls of the buildings. Well-chosen historic photographs enhance the exploration
of the island’s history, individual stories, and the discrimination and
hardship that Asians faced here.
One chapter focuses on women and another on non-Asian immigrants. The narrative wraps up gracefully with the
story of how the island and buildings were preserved and became part of a state
park in 2009, thanks to activism by the Asian-American community. A gem for the curriculum or independent
reading.
