Ellis Island Award

[hc5duke]

[Ellis Island Family Heritage Award] honors immigrants or descendants of immigrants who have had a big impact on the country. (emphasis mine)

.... so... isn't that EVERYONE in the U.S. who isn't 100% Amerindian? I'm guessing the bolded phrase doesn't exclude immigrants that did not come through Ellis Island. Not that this in any way diminishes the award, but I thought that particular criterion mentioned was amusing.

[ikiru36]

(emphasis mine)

.... so... isn't that EVERYONE in the U.S. who isn't 100% Amerindian? I'm guessing the bolded phrase doesn't exclude immigrants that did not come through Ellis Island. Not that this in any way diminishes the award, but I thought that particular criterion mentioned was amusing.

My father was a recipient in 2003. My recollection is that having passed through Ellis Island was not a criteria but that most (yet not all) recipients seemed to have emigrated themselves or be of the 1st generation born in the U.S. following emigration.

It's a cool awards ceremony, out on Ellis Island itself, with an interesting variety of recipients, when I went, including Denis Leary, Mary Lou Retton, Mike Wallace, Martin Scorsese, Ben Vereen, Danny Aiello and Michael Bolton! The most notable (to me) Polish-American recipient in 2003 was Curtis Sliwa.

In any event, your recognition of the not entirely meaningful use of the word "immigrant" is valid, I think. Nevertheless, a nice tribute which in my family's case was most about honoring my Father's parent's emigration experience from the Ukraine (and through Ellis Island) in the 1920's.

From what little I know of Coach K, I imagine it will be most meaningful to him as a recognition of his parent's struggle as well.