How these Memphians got here: Stories about family and the American dream
The Daily Memphian recently talked to 16 locals, including business owners and a former mayor, about their families’ journeys to America whether they arrived here a century or a decade ago. (Mark Stebnicki/Pexels)
In 2025, few issues have been debated as much as immigration. But immigrants are at the heart of the American story, as people have come to the U.S. seeking a brighter future for much of the nation’s history.
Pew Research Center data shows more than 100 million people have immigrated to the United States since 1840, coming in three waves. From 1840 to 1889, 14.3 million people came to America; 18.2 million came between 1890 to 1919. More than 76 million came from 1965 to 2025.
Today, most Americans can trace their lineage back to another part of the world. During the 2020 U.S. Census, just 9.7 million of the country’s total population of 331 million identified as American Indian or Alaska Native — which means 97% of Americans’ ancestors are not indigenous people.
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