1. A Story of Human Movement
Coming to Rockford
A Story of Human Movement

2. When my papa was a young man, he decided to leave his home
for a new life. But where would he go?

3. My papa was like
so many others
who came to
someplace new.
America is an
amazing country!

4. America was the “Promised Land” for so many.
The first city lit by electricity was even in the US.

5. Would he work out in Alaska
and search for gold?

6. Or to the mines in the Rocky Mountains?

7. There were so many factories, but those were often dangerous
Or the big city?
There were so many factories,
but those were often dangerous
Chicago has so much! Could Papa support
a family there? There are so many unknowns
for those who just arrived here.

8. No. My papa came to Rockford!
He knew it would be a completely new life.
He just didn’t know that much about the town.

9. There were many jobs in the Rockford’s factories.
Would Papa get a job there?

10. Papa worked very hard, long days when he got here.
It wasn’t easy, but after many years, he achieved the
American dream.

11. Hello! I’m Collin.

12. And this is MY Rockford story
And this is MY Papa!
And this is MY Rockford story

13. My Rockford Migration
I am a native American citizen (emigration vs. immigration vs. migration)
I arrived here 1 month after turning 18 (August, 1993)
I had never even been to Illinois until the day I arrived here for university, which was why I came here.
I had no family in Illinois nor the Midwest, so Rockford may not have been my final stop.

14. My Rockford Migration
With tremendously long days and years of school and work, I made a name for myself and established myself in the community.
Now I have my family and my home here. This is home.
How does my own story relate to your family’s story, or the stories of immigrants from other eras of American history?

15. Sources (in order by slide)

16. Sources (in order by slide) (2)