Honoring Immigrant Ancestors at the Angel Island Immigration Station

For the 100th anniversary of the US Immigration Station in 2010, the public was given an opportunity to memorialize their immigrant ancestors with a granite plaque on a “centennial wall” at the site. The vision for the project was to honor “long-departed family patriarchs and matriarchs, but also point the way to stories that continue to inspire us today.” 

In July 2011, the newly named “Immigrant Heritage Wall” was revealed. Over 1,500 people, including Angel Island immigrants and their descendants, gathered at the site for the dedication and program. The wall included 182 plaques with personal reflections, tributes, and celebrations. These contributions also helped AIISF connect with individuals and families who were invited to share their stories for another project in development: AIISF’s Immigrant Voices. 

Due to the public’s response to the Immigrant Heritage Wall, a “Phase II” of the project was conceived. A wall expansion would add an additional 102 plaques for additional testimonials. Over the next year, names and tributes were gathered for the wall, and in September 2012, the project was complete.

Proceeds from the Immigrant Heritage Wall went toward improvements at Angel Island State Park and the campaign to restore the hospital, which opened as the Angel Island Immigration Museum in 2022.

To map the wall’s location click here.

Find a Name

Use the search bar to find individuals and families honored on the wall.

Discover Dedications

Click on the wall sections below to reveal over 284 tributes and dedications.

Pictured: Phase I (above) and Phase II (below) of the Immigrant Heritage Wall.

Leaving a Legacy

If you would like to honor an immigrant ancestor or someone special, we offer several ways to do so.

• The easiest way to honor someone is to donate in their name to AIISF. If you donate “in memory of” or “in honor of” a person (or multiple people), their name will be listed on our website’s Tribute Wall. Visit our Tributes page.

• If you want their name seen at the US Immigration Station site, we have Immigrant Heritage Benches that can be sponsored for 15 years or 30 years. Learn more about our Heritage Benches.

• AIISF’s latest site-improvement project gives you the opportunity to have someone’s name engraved on the site’s outdoor terraces for a period of at least 15 years. Learn more about our Pathways to Immigration project.