Immigration Exhibits at Oakland Public Library

How did the United States change from 1877-1924? Answering this broad question about turn-of-the-century America was the guiding task for juniors in their US and the World history class, led by teacher Daniel Song.

The class explored the themes of immigration, labor & capital, social reform, women's suffrage, African-American Civil Rights, and the city in American life. In doing so, they created Museum Projects to make the argument that the events of the turn-of-the-century transformed the United States into a modern nation and redefined what it meant to be an American.

After careful consideration by faculty and staff observers, six exhibits were chosen, from over thirty student projects, and are on display at the downtown Oakland Public Library’s TeenZone. 

Themes include:

• The Statue of Liberty
• Immigration Restriction - Lady Liberty Times
• The Anarchist Cases: Labor, Immigration, and Politics
• The Hornet Chronicle
• Life Magazine - Turn of the Century Portrayals of People of Color
• The Chinese Laundry Cases