Ellis Island
Ellis Island, in Upper New York Bay, was the gateway for over 12 million immigrants to the U.S. as the United States' busiest immigrant inspection station for over 60 years from 1892 until 1954. Ellis Island was opened January 1, 1892. The island was greatly expanded with land reclamation between 1892 and 1934. Before that, the much smaller original island was the site of Fort Gibson and later a naval magazine. The island was made part of the Statue of Liberty National Monument in 1965 and has hosted a museum of immigration since 1990.
The Silver Belles
Elaine Ellis (born November 30, 1917 – December 21, 2013) was born in Panama and traveled to New York with her family at a young age. She started dancing in response to an advertisement searching for Spanish dancers. She learned how to dance from both chorus girls and men tap dancers. When the Cotton Club closed, she danced at Café Zanzibar, Club Mimo, the Lenox Lounge, and the Apollo Theater. She also danced at Paradise Club, Harlem Club in Atlantic City, and Rhum Boogie in Chicago. In an interview, Ellis cites Small's Paradise on 135th and 7th as The Silver Belles organization spot. After she gave up dancing, she raised two children, and worked as a bartender and bar manager.