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Loved capturing images of this sweet family, images that will last long after sweet baby girl has a sixteen-month-old of her own.
"Ellis Island, in Upper New York Bay, was the gateway for over 12 million immigrants to the U.S. as the United States' busiest immigrant inspection station for over 60 years from 1892 until 1954. Ellis Island was opened January 1, 1892." Wikipedia
Thanks, Rachel of New York Tour 1, for a great tour of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island!
Immigrants seeing the Statue of Liberty for the first time as they arrive in New York Harbor.
"Immigrants await inspection in the Registry Room at Ellis Island, ca. 1910. New arrivals at all ports of entry received a legal and a medical inspection to determine whether they were 'beyond a doubt entitled to land' according to United States law." (New York Public Library)
The Great Hall (aka the Registry Room) today.
To see a Virtual Tour of Ellis Island, click here.
"Larger than Life Displays by French Photographer JR" as seen on 60 Minutes.
"Artist's Hidden Message on Ellis Island" as seen on 60 Minutes.
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Loved our tour of Ellis Island.
"The New Colossus" (excerpt)
by Emma Lazarus
Published in 1883
“Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”
"Ellis Island: The Dream of America" with Pacific Symphony
The story of an immigrant child’s journey to Ellis Island (3:42)
Excerpt from "Ellis Island: The Dream of America" (2:49)
"How important is Hamilton to New York? Would New York have become the world financial capital it is without Alexander Hamilton?
CHERNOW: It is poignant, symbolic, and fitting that he ended up being buried at Trinity Church, right in the heart of the financial district, and so close to the stock exchange and Wall Street. Of course, the history of Wall Street is inseparable from New York. I asked Steven Wheeler, the archivist of the New York Stock Exchange, what were the first securities originally traded on Wall Street at the time of the famous Buttonwood Agreement. There were only five, and Alexander Hamilton directly created them all."
"An Interview with Ron Chernow," author of Alexander Hamilton.
"Does the fact that Hamilton's widow lived fifty years after his death make the tragedy worse?
CHERNOW: Yes, and with the added poignancy that at the time of Hamilton's death, seven of their eight children were also still alive, the eighth having died in a duel three years earlier. One of the things that I was most at pains to do was to edit Eliza Hamilton back into the story, because she tried so hard to edit herself out. She ran the New York Orphan Asylum Society for several decades. I dug out all the records, and she wasn't just lending her name to it--she was really running it--dealing with the finance committee, arbitrating disputes--and it frustrated me that there was this missing founding mother. She is usually mentioned as a weak, religious, weepy, neurasthenic woman--as if she hadn't done anything. In fact, she was a strong, gutsy lady who was still mentally sharp and active until the end of her life."
"An Interview with Ron Chernow," author of Alexander Hamilton.
"George Will said something like Hamilton's monument is not a physical building; it is the world that we see around us. In many ways the shape of the government today is much closer to the shape of the government that Hamilton had envisioned."
From "An Interview with Ron Chernow," the author of Alexander Hamilton.
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Before traveling to NYC, I purchased a wide-angle lens at Pictureline. The sales clerk who helped me had seen Hamilton recently. He advised that I listen to the Hamilton soundtrack while reading the lyrics not once, but twice, before seeing the play. He assured me that this would enhance my experience. I took his advice to heart, and on the 4th of July, Hamilton blasted from my speakers. It seemed a fitting day to spend time with our Founding Fathers! And he was right; being familiar with the story made the experience magical.
Lin-Manuel Miranda Performs at the White House Poetry Jam
Interested in a "behind-the-scenes look at Lin-Manuel Miranda's Broadway musical Hamilton"? I loved PBS's documentary, Hamilton's America: A Documentary Film.
Lin-Manuel Miranda Interview with Savannah Guthrie on Today, July 23, 2018
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"Very often we are taught history as if it were predetermined, and if that way of teaching begins early enough and is sustained through our education, we begin to think that it had to have happened as it did. We think that there had to have been a Revolutionary War, that there had to have been a Declaration of Independence, that there had to have been a Constitution, but never was that so. In history, chance plays a part again and again. Character counts over and over. Personality is often the determining factor in why things turn out the way they do.
Furthermore, nobody ever lived in the past. Jefferson, Adams, George Washington—they didn’t walk around saying, “Isn’t this fascinating living in the past? Aren’t we picturesque in our funny clothes?” They were living in the present, just as we do. The great difference is that it was their present, not ours. And just as we don’t know how things are going to turn out, they didn’t either."
David McCullough, "The Glorious Cause of America," 2005
"Washington wasn’t chosen by his fellow members of the Continental Congress because he was a great military leader. He was chosen because they knew him; they knew the kind of man he was; they knew his character, his integrity. . . .
What Washington had, it seems to me, is phenomenal courage—physical courage and moral courage. He had high intelligence; if he was not an intellectual or an educated man, he was very intelligent. He was a quick learner—and a quick learner from his mistakes. He made dreadful mistakes, particularly in the year 1776. They were almost inexcusable, inexplicable mistakes, but he always learned from them. And he never forgot what the fight was about—'the glorious cause of America,' as they called it. Washington would not give up; he would not quit."
David McCullough, "The Glorious Cause of America," 2005
"[George Washington] was also greatly influenced, as they all were, by the classical ideals of the Romans and the Greeks. The history they read was the history of Greece and Rome. And while Washington and Knox and Greene, not being educated men, didn’t read Greek and Latin as Adams and Jefferson did, they knew the play Cato, and they knew about Cincinnatus. They knew that Cincinnatus had stepped forward to save his country in its hour of peril and then, after the war was over, returned to the farm. Washington, the political general, had never forgotten that Congress was boss. When the war was at last over, Washington, in one of the most important events in our entire history, turned back his command to Congress—a scene portrayed in a magnificent painting by John Trumbull that hangs in the rotunda of our national Capitol. When George III heard that George Washington might do this, he said that 'if he does, he will be the greatest man in the world.'
So what does this tell us? That the original decision of the Continental Congress was the wise one. They knew the man, they knew his character, and he lived up to his reputation."
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In this video clip from that interview, Jeni expresses love for her three children, who faced many challenges as she battled cancer. I was touched by the peace she exuded, and by her confidence that "the Lord will make so much out of their lives." She passed away two months after this interview. Though she is gone, her words will bless her children's lives forever.
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I have many treasured memories of my mom, who died two years ago this month. . . .But somehow, oddly, the voice mails — those unscripted moments of everyday life — are the ones I turn to most often.
How are you preserving the voices of those you love?
Enjoying time with my parents on Mom's 80th birthday.
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Matt's new LinkedIn profile pic.
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1. Celebrate your accomplishment.
Can't wait to take the bridal photos.
Last year when I told Beth about my love for capturing people’s stories through photography, audio recordings, and the written word, she said, “You have to attend the Rootstech Conference!” So I signed up.
At the opening session, Beth whispered, "I hardly slept last night. It was like waiting for Christmas morning when I was a kid."
I was amused that she was so excited, but it didn't take me long to see why. And guess what? This year, I am counting down the days until Rootstech 2013!
Here are some of the great Story@Home Presentations available to all Rootstech conference goers this year:
- Photo Editing
- Journey of Self-Discovery
- Tell it Again
- Creating Family History Traditions
- Social Media
- Being Present in Your Own Story
- Writing for a Publisher
- Live Your Stories, Increase Your Joy
- Authentically Telling Your Story
Here are a few key details for you about Rootstech 2013:
- Date: March 21-23
- Location: Salt Lake City, Utah at the Salt Palace Convention Center
- Cost: Early bird prices have been extended until 2/22/13. Register today!
To visit the Rootstech 2013 website, click on the link below. Make sure you check out the full listing of courses they're offering and the video at the bottom of the home page. Then sign up, and I'll see you there!
Best,
Heidi
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When you were a kid, did you have the chance to listen as your parents or grandparents shared stories from their lives?
I did. Quite often on Sunday evenings my grandparents joined my family for dinner. It was one of my favorite times of the entire week. Mom cooked a fabulous dinner, and then my parents and grandparents told us stories from when they were young. I loved to hear those stories over and over again.
When I grew up, I started recording their stories. I knew these stories were precious, and that my parents and grandparents would not always be here to share them with me. These recorded stories are among my most priceless possessions. I love being able to hear the voices of beloved family members who passed away years ago. It is almost as if they are beside me again.
If you like the idea of capturing and preserving your own stories or the stories of someone you love, contact me. Let's discuss the exciting possibilities of capturing your stories today as a Memories & Milestones Legacy Audio Recording, and inspiring your family and the world for generations!
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I know how quickly time passes. The first time I took my newborn son (my first child) to the store, a woman approached me, and looked wistfully at my baby. "Enjoy each day with this child," she said. "I have six children. They grew up so quickly, and now they're gone. It's almost as if it never happened."
I went on to have six children of my own, and they grew up just as fast as hers did. I am glad I took her counsel to heart. Along the way, I took lots of pictures and wrote stories so that it would not seem "as if it never happened." The pictures and stories I captured are some of my most precious treasures.
Capturing your memories and documenting your story through photography, audio recordings, and the written word is what Memories & Milestones is all about. I work with individuals, families, organizations, and businesses. Contact me today to learn more about how I can help you capture your story and preserve your legacy for generations.
P.S. Pictured above is the newborn son I mentioned at the beginning of this post. He is holding his daughter. I've reminded him more than once, "Enjoy each day with this child. She'll grow up so quickly, and then she'll be gone." Between his smart phone and my DSLR, we're documenting her every move!
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