1931 to 1960. A time when America thrives as a world power. During this time all sorts of... stuff.... happens. You have the holocaust, Adolf Hitler and his Nazi government. Mussolini and his fascist government. Tojo with his Militarism campaign. And Stalin with communism. The evident change in clothing. The role of women is a big one too. You also have the beggining of the space race start here. Communism is a main concern of America's for the entirety of this period, living in fear because you don't know if you'll see the light of tomorrow. But enough about that. how does this time in american history relate back to immigration? When people feel like their government doesn't care about them, or don't trust the people running their country, they're left with 2 options. Stay and deal with it, or leave and find something better. Some would consider the 30's to the 60's some of the best times in american history. Others claim it to be one of the scariest.
The onset of the Great Depression temporarily reduced immigration pressures—during two years in the early 1930s more immigrants left the United States than entered it—but an entirely different situation developed after the Nazi seizure of power in Germany. The unprecedented situation of large numbers of refugees and would-be refugees stemming from a western European power had not been foreseen by the drafters of American immigration legislation. By 1933, however, under the stresses of the Great Depression and after going through what John Higham has aptly termed the "tribal twenties," Congress was in no mood to ease immigration restrictions. And although some of the later apologists for the lack of an effective American refugee policy before the onset of the Holocaust put all or most of the onus on Congress, the administration of Franklin D. Roosevelt must share that blame. There was nothing even resembling a new deal for immigration policy. The war years also witnessed a historic if seemingly minor reversal of American immigration policy with the 1943 repeal of the Chinese Exclusion Act. Few episodes show the connection between immigration and foreign policy so explicitly. President Roosevelt sent a special message to Congress urging the action. Speaking as commander in chief, he regarded the legislation "as important in the cause of winning the war and of establishing a secure peace." Since China was a U.S. ally and its resistance depended in part on "the spirit of her people and her faith in her allies," the president argued for a show of support
The onset of the Great Depression temporarily reduced immigration pressures—during two years in the early 1930s more immigrants left the United States than entered it—but an entirely different situation developed after the Nazi seizure of power in Germany. The unprecedented situation of large numbers of refugees and would-be refugees stemming from a western European power had not been foreseen by the drafters of American immigration legislation. By 1933, however, under the stresses of the Great Depression and after going through what John Higham has aptly termed the "tribal twenties," Congress was in no mood to ease immigration restrictions. And although some of the later apologists for the lack of an effective American refugee policy before the onset of the Holocaust put all or most of the onus on Congress, the administration of Franklin D. Roosevelt must share that blame. There was nothing even resembling a new deal for immigration policy. The war years also witnessed a historic if seemingly minor reversal of American immigration policy with the 1943 repeal of the Chinese Exclusion Act. Few episodes show the connection between immigration and foreign policy so explicitly. President Roosevelt sent a special message to Congress urging the action. Speaking as commander in chief, he regarded the legislation "as important in the cause of winning the war and of establishing a secure peace." Since China was a U.S. ally and its resistance depended in part on "the spirit of her people and her faith in her allies," the president argued for a show of support
This picture is of two russian immigrants disembarking from a ship in a new land. Russian immigration was on the rise throughtout thus period. they are each only carrying one bag each. That's it. Packed up and left with everything that was important enough to be carrried.
This photo is captioned "Mexican farmworkers leaving Chihuahua City, Mexico, to work in the bracero program in Texas". I feel like there is alot of significance in this photo. First point out a couple notable things like; how many men they fit in this one small truck, how they all range in ages, and also range in expression.
https://youtu.be/K1-QNS462D8 This is a video of the empire state building the day it it opened, May 1st, 1931. Most people consider the Empire state building to be one of the many architectural treasures of New York. A main immigration hub for america. Video was taken in new york city, in 1931. And it just shows the outside of the structure and people standing outside it's frony doors.