-I thought it was interesting how many New Yorkers have the idea that new immigrants live in poor ethnic neighborhoods and slum conditions. This belief is partially true. For example, there are reports of Mexican immigrants inhabiting tunnel-like spaces behind buildings in Washington Heights and Koreans renting bedspace by time. However, while some immigrants continue to live in “squalid housing,” many immigrants skip this step and move into lower-middle class neighborhoods. This is because they have entered the United States with the skills and resources that would support this type of lifestyle.
– I found that tenement life in the place was deplorable. The apartments were divided into small rooms in which families had no choice but to sleep anywhere, such as on the ground and on chairs. Furthermore, there were no private bathrooms, or running water. I was able to see this conditions firsthand on the trip to the LES Tenement Museum. I was shocked to see the bathroom which only consisted of a dirty toilet and to hear that they were forced to shower in communal baths.
-Despite living in grim conditions, immigrants tried their best to make their apartments visually appealing. “Immigrants often went to great lengths to clean and decorate their apartments, fixing up their parlors with curtains, mirrors, and bric-a-brac.” This was evident in the Tenement Museum. I saw layers of linoleum on the floor and multiple layers of wallpaper on the walls.
-I was shocked to learn that the Jews faced Anti-Semitism and were openly excluded from Jackson Heights (when this neighborhood began). It’s ironic that this immigrant group left their homeland to escape discrimination, and they still came to face it in New York.
-I was intrigued to learn that the Jews and Italians were rarely neighbors. “Most blocks were heavily dominated, if not exclusively populated, by one or the other immigrant group.” Why did this occur? Why couldn’t there be interracial mixing of neighborhoods?
– I thought it was interesting that Foner mentioned that Richmond Hill is an enclave for East Indian immigrants. This area is dubbed “Little Guyana” since many Guyanese immigrants live here. Being Guyanese, I used to visit this area every week when I was small. This area actually did feel like “Little Guyana” since there are many West Indian stores located on this avenue. Furthermore, many Guyanese residents would walk the avenue every weekend to do their grocery shopping and to socialize.
