November Virtual Speaker Series

Date: November 7, 2025
Time: 12:00 - 1:00 pm ET
Title: The Nurses of Ellis Island: Life and Work Inside the Golden Door
Speakers: Michelle Hehman and Arlene Keeling

Brief Abstract: The Nurses of Ellis Island: Life and Work inside the Golden Door tells the story of the U.S. Public Health Service nurses who cared for more than 150,000 immigrants hospitalized on Ellis Island during the first half of the twentieth century. In the modern hospital complex built between the Main Immigration Building and the Statue of Liberty, these nurses confronted every imaginable illness and injury, caring for vulnerable patients in a challenging environment. They served simultaneously as compassionate caregivers and agents of the state, negotiating their responsibilities in the midst of two world wars, a global pandemic, and increasingly restrictive immigration laws.

This presentation examines both the historical findings and the process behind reconstructing this story. The research drew upon memoirs, government records, and archival materials that gave voice to the Ellis Island nurses, as well as multiple site visits that allowed the authors to immerse themselves in the physical spaces where the nurses lived and worked. The book also reflects a deliberate choice to write in a more narrative and accessible style, one that remains grounded in rigor and historical accuracy but crafted to engage readers beyond academic audiences.

By illuminating the lived experience of nursing at the intersection of immigration and public health policy, and by reflecting on the methodological decisions that shaped the project, this presentation underscores both the need and the value of bringing nursing history to life, as well as the importance of presenting it in ways that resonate widely.

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