They came to America with a dollar (maybe a little less) and a dream.  My ancestors came a little late to America.  They came after the Revolution and the Civil War.  But just like previous immigrants, they came in the pursuit of a better life.  But that better life eluded the first generation of my family.  They lived through difficult times in America.  They struggled to care for their children and had to put their children to work in factories in order to survive.

I knew this first generation of my family who came across the Atlantic Ocean from Italy. But I only knew them in their last days.  They did live to see their children succeed where they could not. They did live to see their grandchildren spread their wings in this new country of promises.

They survived WWI and WWII.  They survived The Great Depression and the prejudice of those immigrants who came before them.  They hoped they were leaving us with a more secure and brighter future.  I pray that America continues to shine a light of hope on the world for generations to come.

Happy Independence Day to all citizens of these United States!

http://www.theresadodaro.com   Author of The Tin Box Trilogy