CARGO OF WRETCHED HUMAN BEINGS

In 1846, nearly 700 impoverished German immigrants from the small town of Groß-Zimmern arrived in New York City, their ships carrying more than just their meager belongings; they carried desperation, hope, and the weight of an uncertain future. Met with hostility, sickness, and starvation, these newcomers were cast as burdens on the city, igniting fierce debates on immigration and social responsibility. Labeled as "wretched human beings" by the press, they were thrust into a world that viewed th