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A Portal to the Region’s Immigrant Past and Present

Boy saluting, immigrants arriving in Boston, photograph by Edmunds Bond. Courtesy of the Trustees of Boston Public Library

Global Boston is a digital project chronicling the history of immigration to greater Boston since the early nineteenth century. Examining different time periods and ethnic groups, the site features capsule histories, photographs, maps, documents, and oral histories documenting the history of a city where immigrants have long been a vital force in shaping economic, social and political life. To get started, try clicking on the Eras of Migration box below to explore different time periods in the region’s history.

Immigrant Rights at the Crossroads

Under the second Trump administration, the country is likely to see unprecedented changes in immigration laws and policies. Mass deportation, challenges to birthright citizenship, the potential defunding of sanctuary cities, and many other issues are at stake. To help you understand and explore these issues from a historical perspective, Global Boston has compiled a list of relevant teaching resources.

We’re also offering a curated list of recent news articles on how deportation and other immigration issues are unfolding in greater Boston and at the state level. We’ll continue to update these resources in the coming months.

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