History of Newark

This assignment challenges students to develop an original argument pertaining to Newark’s immigrant experience based off your readings of multiple primary sources. You have been provided with personal descriptions of life in Newark during the twentieth and early twenty-first centuries by five individuals representing three different migrant groups: two African American, two Puerto Rican, and one Portuguese. Your task is to read through all five accounts and identify what were the most important similarities in the migrant experience. Topics you might explore include:
• Did they tend to be wealthy or poor?
• Did they experience racism?
• What were their motivations for moving to Newark?
• How did migration change their relationship to their families?
• What was their work experience in Newark like?
• How did they relate to their fellow migrants?
• What was their support system in Newark?
• Did they form families or build communities?
• Were they successful?
• Did women’s experiences differ from men’s?