The Ticket to the Golden Door: An intermigration Story

Our attitude towards immigration reflects our faith in the American Ideal. We have always believed it possible for men and women who start at the bottom to rise as far as the talent and energy allow. Neither race nor place of birth should affect their chances. Senator Robert F. Kennedy

My first impression of the new world will always remain etched in my memory, particulary that hazy October morning when I first saw Ellis Island. The steamer Florida, fourteen days out of Naples, filled to capacity with sixteen hundred natives of Italy, had weathered one of the worst storms in our captiain’s memory ;and glad we were both children and grown-ups, to leave the open sea and come at last through the Narrows into the Bay.

…I felt resent towards this Ellis Island ahead of us, where we could already see many people crowded into a small enclosure. It could not be a good place.

To come made my mother cry. I looked around the deck and saw that many women were crying. Our little vessel coasted into the slip at Ellis Island. The passengers began to move. We moved with them and as we stepped from the gangplank to the land, all silent and subdued, I knew that my parents were thinking what as I was, “What is next?”

These are some excerpts from the book, In the Shadow of Liberty: The Chronicle of Ellis Island.

Edward Corsi was a 10 year old Italian immigrant who in1907 went through the “Golden Doors” as the immigrants called them at Ellis Island in New York Harbor.

It’s Just the Beginning

Edward was born in the year 1896, and probably never imagined that his life would travel the path that it did.

To step onto the pier at Ellis Island, a person like Edward, would first be amazed at the size of the building. Im sure he had never seen such a large strucrure. He would enter the great hall, as all others, and set in the pews that started the line to begin the processing. After the paperwork was completed, he would next go to medical. Edward would have to pass many tests, and be cleared from such diseases as tuberculous, venereal disease, trachoma [a serious eye disease that could cause blindness].

Next would come the mental test, such questions would be asked as “Why are you here, where are you going”, and then addition and subtraction questions would be put forth. Edward I’m sure had no problem with this line of questioning. If an immigrant did have challenges, or maybe after examing their eyes, and finding that they may not look right an chalk X was put on the right shoulder of their garment. If this were to happen, it could be cause to not let them enter into the country.

Edward and his family were permitted to enter the country, and he settled in New York, atteneded Clasion Point Military Academy, and St. Francis Xavier College. He also attened Fordham University.

Futhermore in 1921 he got his naturalization papers and became a citizen of the United States.

Working for a future

Edwards first real job after university was working at Harlem House, a place that gave educational and recreational resources for the local Italian-American community.

During this time he married had a son and became a well known writer and speaker about being foriegn born. In 1926 he became the director of Harlem House. For him the first rung of the large ladder that he would climbed. His goverment career began in 1930 by being appointed surpervisor of a census district in New York City. His next appointment would put him at the very place that he came to and went through aspiring to start fresh as so many had came before. Hoping to be able to enter “The Golden Doors” and start a whole new life.

President Herbert Hoover appointed Edward Corsi in 1931 to be the Commissioner Of Immigration at Ellis Island. It was his turn now to help make policies and decisions that would affect the many immigrants attempting to enter America. AN Italian born immigrant running the most important agency standing between freedom and being sent home again for millions.

When Ellis Island began this would never had been possibile.

He is Not Done Yet

Mr. Corsi was reappointed as per the request of President Theodore Roosevelt to be Commissioner of Immigration and Naturalizatio again in 1933. Because of the great job he was doing the next year he was appointed directer of The Home Relief Fun of New York City. He also served as Deputy Commissinor Of the NYC Dept. of Public Welfare. I’m sure when he was born in his homtown in Italy he never envisioned this type of future for himself. He held more esteemed offices in city goverment than many natural born Americans did.

He was not even close to being done with the jobs he would hold. Some would lead to changes that are still intact today.

In 1938 he was a delegate-at-large to the New York Stae Convention and was made chairman of the Social Welfare Commitee and Labor Commitee. Being chairman he sponsered amendments providing for unemployment insurance, sickness and old-age benefits, the care of the needy and promotion of public health. Futhermore as an immigrant himself to oversee public health was a way to help immigrants do better when cleared to enter the “Golden Doors.”

Mr Corsi would continue to be apart of many other organizations, even serving as a trustee at Cornel University. He tried a run for mayor of New York City, and to be a Senator also but lost both.

Meanwhile after the careers he enjoyed for many years he went back to where he began at Harlem House to finish out his life. He always helped whenever he could his fellow Italian-America immigrants, and maintained a close advocate for all immigrants.

Edward Corsi would die on Dec. 13, 1965 as a result of an automoble accident. He would leave a life full of advancements and rules for all, not just immigrants.

Today as we grapple with the immigrant problems we have, Corsi should be remembered as a man from overseas that help grow America. His life proved that immigrants are people who bring skills and ideas that can change the world. If not for them, many laws, pleasures, and inventions we would not have today.

Go to https://www.nyc.org/story/edward-corsi-contributions-of-the-italians-on-the-united-states/ to hear a speech given by Edward Corsi on shining examples of immigrants.

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I love learning about the stories and lives that help make this country. In schools today I feel they do not spend enough time delveing into where we came from, and who helped create this great country we call home. This blog is my way of setting some of this straight. I hope you enjoy the stories as much as I do. I love to get feedback and commments. Drop me a comment and let me know how you feel I’m doing and if there is a story you would like to see on here. Once again Thanks for letting me share the knowledge,

History is the true Spine of America, without it we would fall and collapse.