Q: With so much illegal immigration going on, people say we are a nation of immigrants and point to Ellis Island. Is it true that 12 million immigrants were brought through Ellis Island? Did they have to register, get checked for diseases, have a sponsor willing to take them and a job lined up before coming to the U.S.?
—Steve Diercks, Marietta
A: About 12 million immigrants came through Ellis Island from 1892 to 1954. They registered with U.S. officials in a process called “Immigrant Inspection” and were checked for diseases in what was called the “Medical Inspection,” Barry Moreno, a historian with the Ellis Island Immigration Museum told Q&A on the News in an email.
They didn’t need a job or a sponsor, he wrote. Most immigrants came through New York, but others entered through Boston, Philadelphia, Baltimore, San Francisco, Savannah, Miami and New Orleans.
Q: Does the ant artwork at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport have special meaning? One must admit, giant ants crawling on the ceiling near baggage claim is different.
—Janet West, Acworth
A: The red and black ants, which were installed on vents, walls and ceilings in 2001, symbolize the many passengers at Hartsfield-Jackson, which was the world’s busiest airport again in 2013, with 94 million passengers.
The ant sculpture, by Atlanta artist Joseph Peragine, is named “Brute Neighbors” and is part of the airport’s permanent collection. “For a brief moment, arriving passengers can escape their normal routines and enjoy the elements of surprise that this exhibit adds,” Katherine Dirga, one of the airport’s art program managers, has said. The ants weigh 3 pounds each.
Andy Johnston wrote this column. Do you have a question about the news? We’ll try to get the answer. Call 404-222-2002 or email q&a@ajc.com (include name, phone and city).
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