Family History
John uses an album of family photos to describe his family’s many migrations between Italy and the United States between 1909 and 1927, including multiple returns to Italy, the separation of family members, and several deaths.
Shue-Qa's father, along with many other Hmong men, fought with the Americans during the “Secret War” in Laos. His family was forced to flee the country in the 1970's. Shue-Qa explains how they crossed the Mekong River, were reunited in Thailand, and resettled in the United States.
Bella was born in Chicago in 1916, but her parents and older siblings had emigrated from Lithuania in 1914. After marrying her husband Haskell in 1940, they both raised their family and ran a general store in Jainesville, Wisconsin.
Eileen uses the rich documentation of her family history, especially the letters of John W. Watson, to better understand her own heritage and how that helped determine her place in American society today.