The Great Depression Through the Eyes of Immigrant Americans

This project was inspired by my great grandmother whose family moved to the United States from Poland right before the Great Depression. She had always told me that this period in American history was so much harder for immigrants but never really delved into how or why. So that’s what I set out to discover with this project. I wanted to answer the question: How and why the Great Depression harder for Immigrant Americans. I believe that the main reason it was harder for immigrant Americans was discrimination and language barriers, but this exhibit delves deeper into that question and reveals not only the hardships but also some of the joys of Immigrant Americans during the depression era. 

I designed this exhibit in a way that feels like a story. I combined photos and stories in order to create a more personal connection to the people referenced. I also used a geo-location map to showcase all the places Immigrant Americans lived and how no matter where they were in the U.S.A. they all faced their own hardships. I wanted this exhibit to feel alive and that's why I choose to set it up the way I did. To make you feel emerced in what I have created, to tell the stories of these people who deserve to be heard.