"A Thomas Nast cartoon, published in the November 20, 1869 issue of Harper's Weekly, celebrates the ethnic diversity and envisions the political equality of citizens of the American republic. Joining the Thanksgiving Day feast of hosts Uncle Sam (carving the turkey on the far-right) and Columbia (seated on the far-left) are Americans from all over the world: German, Native American, French, Arab, British, African, Chinese, Italian, Spanish, and Irish. Behind Uncle Sam is a large picture of Castle Garden, the main immigrant depot in the United States, with the inviting label reading “Welcome.” (Located at the foot of Battery Park in southernmost Manhattan, Castle Garden was the primary station for processing immigrants until replaced by Ellis Island in 1890.) The cartoon also has the specific aim of endorsing ratification of the Fifteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which was intended to guarantee that federal voting rights could not be denied on the basis of race." You can see the cartoon and read about it at http://www.nytimes.com/learning/general/onthisday/harp/1122.html -- Alice J. Gayley "What if the Hokey-Pokey IS what it's all about?" Clearfield County Genealogy Project Coordinator http://www.pa-roots.com/~clearfield Armstrong County Genealogy Project Co-Coordinator http://www.pa-roots.com/~armstrong Jefferson County Genealogy Project Coordinator http://www.pa-roots.com/~jefferson Pennsylvania in the Civil War http://www.pa-roots.com/~pacw/ PA-Roots.com Co-Host http://www.pa-roots.com