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NYC Manhole Cover Doormat Bring the splendor of urban living to your loved one’s doorstep! A clever recreation of the City's ever-present manhole covers, this doormat is a great gift for homesick ex-New Yorkers and all city-lovers. Cavallini Calendar New York 2006 The world is chock full of calendars, but this vibrant collection of vintage New York posters and postcards is a gem. A colorful gift that is genuinely both fun and functional. Ellis Island Collection Billed as a "museum in a box", this handsome collection lives up to its fanciful billing with 25 meticulously reproduced artifacts that tell the story of immigration to America. This is New York This beloved classic captures the essence of New York in a way that delights both children and parents, many of whom who will remember the book from their childhood. It was not until 1804 that New York required residents to be citizens in order to vote. New York State’s original constitution of 1777 conferred suffrage rights on “every male inhabitant of full age” who met property qualifications. Between 1700 and 1804, debates over suffrage centered on contentious issues of property and race, not citizenship. The principles embodied by Revolution-era mottos like “no taxation without representation” made non-citizen voting a democratic practice tied to notions of residency. From 1776 to 1920, non-citizens voted in local, state, and even national elections in 22 states and federal territories, and held public offices, such as alderman, coroner, and school board member. Why did non-citizens lose the right to vote? Many citizens came to believe that property-less non-citizens would vote irresponsibly, electing substandard governments that destabilized property rights. The massive influx of immigrants at the turn of the 20th century triggered a wave of nativist sentiment that bolstered the movement to strip non-citizens of voting rights. New York and other States gradually passed laws that required citizenship as a prerequisite for voting. Today, some immigrant community groups are attempting to obtain the right to vote in local elections for non-citizen residents of New York City. These groups argue that, although they are not citizens, immigrants pay taxes, send their children to public schools and contribute to society in many other ways. Should non-citizens be granted the right to vote or should citizenship remain a requirement for voting? Tell us what you think. The Tenement Museum cordially invites you to our Private Pre- Holiday Shopping Night. Join us for a special evening of wine, cheese and holiday shopping at the Museum’s new shops. It's one-stop shopping with our excellent selection of books, gifts, collectibles and antiques. Members receive 10% off on all purchases. When: November 29, from 6pm to 8pm Where: The Visitors Center at 108 Orchard & Recollections at 90 Orchard Street. RSVP by November 25th to rsvp@tenement.org or 212-431-0233 ext. 555 In 2000, immigration to the United States was booming, reaching a peak of 1.5 million newcomers per year. The surge in immigration was evident here in New York: by 2000, the City's population was 37% foreign-born, the highest percentage since the early 20th century. Since 2000, the annual influx of immigrants to the U.S. and New York has declined sharply. According to a recent study by the Pew Hispanic Center the total number of immigrants entering the U.S. each year has dropped by 24%. In New York, the annual number of foreign-born newcomers has dipped to its lowest level in 15 years. The U.S. and New York still attract plenty of immigrants. But the Pew study shows that these immigrants increasingly enter the country illegally. In fact, illegal immigrants now annually outnumber legal newcomers. The Pew Institute suggests that these trends are tied to the United States' economic fortunes and post-9/11 security measures. It's harder to know what these trends mean for New York, which tends to draw fewer illegal immigrants than California and Texas. We'd be curious to hear what you think. Excitement, dirt, fighting, chaos! The sound of my street lifted like the blast of a great carnival or catastrophe. The noise was always in my ears. Even in my sleep I could hear it; I can hear it now. -- Michael Gold describing the sounds of the Lower East Side in Jews Without Money We'd love to read your thoughts on the Lower East Side and the Tenement Museum. Drop us a line!