Fifty years ago Alexander Weiss found long-lost poems carved into the detention barracks walls. This discovery led to the Immigration Station’s rebirth as a National Historic Landmark. To commemorate this golden jubilee, we are creating a virtual poem wall — an online exhibition celebrating the site’s historic poetry as well as poems submitted by the public.
The poems in the barracks carry themes of loneliness, sacrifice, frustration, and confinement. Those themes are as relevant today as they were 100 years ago. Late last year, COVID-19 emerged as the most significant public health threat in modern history. Many have been told to stay-in-place, leaving millions across the globe feeling isolated and fearful of the future. Some have turned to art, music, and writing for solace in this time of uncertainty.
That is why we are encouraging the community to contribute to our virtual poetry exhibit Voices of Resilience. It will be a place where others can come to find hope and reflect on the issues we face in these challenging times.
The exhibit will feature 25 historic poems along with 25 poems submitted by the public - one for each year since Ranger Weiss rediscovered the poetry on Angel Island.