Angel island Immigration Station Foundation

I had a tour on June 29 – 2015 from an awesome lady named Donna Wall! She had so much knowledge of the history of Angel Island it was incredible. I brought my granddaughters for a little history lesson but they walked away with so much more than that. I would recommend Donna for any tour goers. She knows her stuff and can drive that tram like a champ!!!

This is a fine organization engaging in worthwhile efforts to shed light on a painful matter for some of our citizens

The Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation’s restoration of the barracks used by the immigrants (with a focus on detaining the Chinese longer in an open legalized effort to keep as many Chinese out as possible at that time) was very effectively done.
I’m not one for ‘victimization’ focus normally, but it did bring home what it would have felt like back then if you were one of those assigned one of these bunks for a few weeks or months (or even up to 2 yrs), not knowing if you’d be allowed to get off the island to get to San Francisco or would be starting the long trip back to China.
Dong Kingman, the painter, was born here and a citizen, but when his family returned to the U.S. when he was 18, he had a tough time being allowed back, while his parents were given papers and allowed to leave the island for San Francisco. They were suspicious that a scar on his forehead when he was 5 was not there when he was 18.
Husbands and wives were separated — due to the need to separate bunkees by gender
. One way to express anxiety and loneliness was to write, and then carve, what they felt, many in poem form, on the walls. A park ranger found some of the carvings (often layered over by authorities of the time) one night during his rounds and the restoration efforts began.
I went to visit it in 2009 with a Meetup photography group and then uploaded the pictures I took from that day but wound up spending more time linking to all the very interesting stories and videos about and from that time.
My photos are at
.
The stories are very varied. Many who were children back then remember only having fun playing.
I went to school with classmates who were brought up in the Japanese-​American Internment camps, and they just thought it was normal to grow up behind the barbed wire, although their American-​born Japanese parents had to give up their homes and bank accounts when they were put in the camps for their ‘protection’ during the war with Japan.
I was reminded about all this today from a story in the L.A. Times that someone sent (
) about the Foundation getting an award. for its work on the restoration, and about some original detainees in attendance, one of them 101 and looking much younger.
The docent from the Foundation who led us on our barracks tour, a retired caucasian guy with fantastic energy, was unusually clear in his presentation, knew the history well, and the tour was one of the better ones I’ve been on.
AND, the island is just gorgeous. It’s very ironic, looking out from the barracks through windows with prison-​like wires or metal, etc. — one of them looking out on the Freedom Bell below.

Visited Angel Island and its original immigration barracks as a child and then in college, before they completely restored it and added the touching memorial and a bell down the hill from the building.
We went on the centennial event day (the most crowded time ever on Angel Island… except when Angel Island was used as a discriminatory immigration processing point), and the new immigration station provides a more museum-​worthy experience that also emphasizes preserving the old building. A great island to hike on too… and if you plan early enough you can reserve a campsite (but of course be prepared that it’s windy and cold at night) to extend your stay here.
Many of my ancestors had to pass through here, some being detained for weeks (and thankfully only a few weeks), and later just as the ‘processing’ point to enter and exit. Such knowledge lends some gravity to any visit, but one doesn’t need a direct connection for the AIIS to elicit emotions. Angel Island itself is also a fairly green, lush island for nature lovers/​hikers.
Erika Lee and Judy Yung’s book «Angel Island: Immigrant Gateway to America» is a groundbreaking work in that they explore all the diverse immigrants who passed through. Him Mark Lai and Judy Yung’s previous book on the Chinese poetry etched into the building’s walls on Angel Island is also a compelling read.

A gem in the middle of the bay. Learn about the history of those who immigrated through Angel Island, see the restored living quarters. Enjoy the new Centennial wall of plaques honoring those individuals who immigrated through Angel Island. It was just unveiled July 2011. There had been a lot of work put into restoring the site. Lots of grass and places to picnic and a million dollar view of San Francisco, complete with palm trees and of the American flag.
There is a tram to take you to the station for an additional fee.

A great non-​profit dedicated to preserving the history of Immigration Station. The Angel Island Immigration Station is NOT the Ellis Island of the West — it would be if Ellis Island were not just a processing station for immigrants, but was also their prison. Find out why by going to the Foundation’s website.
The Foundation has done wonders to help restore the Immigration Station from the ravages of time. It’s now a great place to visit with lots of displays and interpretive boards. A real historical treasure in the middle of San Francisco Bay.

Angel Island State Park Foundation is one of the most inspiring organizations I have had the pleasure to work with. Eddie Wong, the Executive Director, is extremely passionate about his work and has provided a strong backbone for the non-​profit.