A family of immigrants looks across the bay at New York City.

Bettmann/Getty Images

Article Options

Presentation View
Teaching Resources

Welcome to America

A Scholastic News editor shares the story of her grandmother's journey to Ellis Island.

January 4, 2021
By Nicole Tocco

As You Read, Think About: Why was Ellis Island called the “gateway to America”?

Like nearly all Americans, I am the descendant of immigrants. In 1936, my grandmother, Jean Rizzi, boarded a towering ship bound for America. At 8 years old, she didn’t understand why she was leaving her home near Naples, Italy. But she knew that her father was waiting for her on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean. She clutched her mother’s hand and took her first steps toward a new life.

Into the Unknown

My great-grandfather had already immigrated to New York City to find a good job and build a better life for his wife and three kids. Once he saved enough money, he sent for them. My grandmother didn’t know what to expect.

“I was nervous,” she told me years later. “But I was also excited about getting to see my new home in the big city.” For nearly two weeks, they were at sea with no land in sight. They were crammed into one tiny room on the ship.

Courtesy of Nicole Tocco

Jean Rizzi as a baby in 1928 with her mother and siblings in Italy

First Stop

When the ship finally sailed past the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor, my grandmother thought the long, difficult voyage was over.

For first- and second-class passengers, it was. After they passed a quick inspection on the boat, they were free to enter New York City. But poorer third-class passengers, like my family, were sent to Ellis Island.

The immigration station there opened in 1892. More than 12 million people, mostly from Europe, passed through its doors. About 98 percent of them were admitted into the U.S. Ellis Island became known as the gateway to America.

Where Is Ellis Island?

Jim McMahon/Mapman®

Passing the Test

courtesy of Nicole Tocco

Jean and the author in 2016

Once my family arrived at Ellis Island, they were examined by doctors. This was one of the most dreaded steps. People who had diseases and didn’t pass the exam could be sent home.

Next, they stood in line, waiting for officials to process their paperwork. My great-grandmother answered a few simple questions, such as where she was from and how much money she was carrying. After a few hours, they were off to their new home in Queens, New York.

A Symbol of Hope

Westend61/Getty Images

The immigration station on Ellis Island closed in 1954. The island is now a national monument, and the building where my grandmother stood in line is a museum. Millions visit each year to trace their family history. To immigrants like my grandmother, the island has always been a symbol of freedom and the American dream.

“To us, Ellis Island meant we had made it to America, our new home,” she told me.

1. What is the section “Into the Unknown” mostly about?

2. What happened once Jean Rizzi’s family arrived at Ellis Island?

3. How did Jean Rizzi feel when she saw the Statue of Liberty?

videos (1)
Skills Sheets (2)
Skills Sheets (2)
Text-to-Speech