Through the Magic Door: A History of Brooklyn Immigration

Join Center for Brooklyn History Reference Librarian, Michelle Montalbano, for a presentation on the history of migration and immigration in Brooklyn. We will begin in the 19th century with the first waves of European immigration, and then spend time with the Puerto Rican community in the 1970s in the neighborhoods of Bay Ridge, Bushwick, and Red Hook; then move to Crown Heights' burgeoning West Indian population in the 1980s, followed by Sunset Park's Chinese community in the 1990s and the Muslim community on Atlantic Avenue, with much more. This talk will be centered around place and the lived experience of members of each community, using materials from our oral history, photograph, map, postcard, and ephemera collections to tell their stories. The discussion will also refer back to themes explored by Mohsin Hamid in Exit West. 

*This lecture is part of NYU Tandon's special NYU Reads programming series based on the Spring 2021 selection, Exit West, but is open to everyone. No prior reading of the novel is required*

Attendants will also be entered to win either a 3-month Audible or Book of the Month Subscription!