In Pursuit of Their Dreams: A History of Azorean Immigration to the United States, 2nd Edition

by Jerry R. Williams

Jerry Williams' history of Azorean immigration to the United States offers us valuable insight into the experience and culture of Portuguese immigrants and their descendents. This account fills a major gap in American immigration history and gives us a comprehensive overview of how Portuguese-Americans―now numbering close to a million people―have come to constitute a vibrant and highly visible presence within southeastern New England, the areas around San Francisco and San Diego, Hawaii, and the New Jersey/New York metropolitan area. Even though Azorean immigrants all came from similar cultural and social backgrounds, Williams shows how regionally specific opportunity structures and social hierarchies have contributed to significant differences within the Portuguese-American experience.

Starting with the whaling routes that first connected the mid-Atlantic archipelago with the ports of call in New England and California in the early 1800s, Williams lays out the complex relationship between the Azores and the US that has continued into the present. We learn how particular patterns of poverty, overpopulation and social inequality in the Azores pushed large numbers of the islands' inhabitants to leave their homes in search of better opportunities for themselves and their children. He tells the story of how the early whalers who jumped ship in New Bedford, San Francisco, or Hawaii were followed by kin and fellow villagers who had heard of plentiful jobs in New England's textile mills, gold and land in California, or agricultural work on Hawaiian plantations. Williams' account allows us to understand the importance of family and community connections throughout the immigrants' arduous transition from peasant life to industrial society.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

216 pages, Paperback

First published June 30, 2007

Reviews

[Carlos · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a complete and amazing work!

[Karson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I recently did the old ancestry.com deal and found out that both my paternal grandmother's parents were first generation immigrants from the Azores. This is also the case with my paternal grandfather's parents. They were both born in the Azores as well; the island of Sao Miguel specifically. I don't have the family tree in front of me at the moment, but they came over in the late 1800's/early 1900's I believe.
I always knew I was "half Portuguese" growing up, but we weren't particularly connected to our heritage in any way in my family. I was fascinated to learn more about the world that all four of my paternal great-grandparents inhabited. I imagined what their passage to the United States must have been like. I wondered if, back in the islands, they sat at the feet of their fathers and uncles and listened to tales about voyages on whaling ships to America. I thought about how the stories of America must have expanded their minds with tempting possibilities. I contemplated how disorienting it must have been to, first, inhabit a foreign society, and second, work an industrial job when you' re accustomed to a life of farming and fishing. The experience must have been dizzying.
Jerry Williams book gave me the background I needed to understand more about where my family came from. It helped me to further understand my paternal grandparents and my dad as well. Value number one, for them, was and is hard-work. That's it. It comes first, second, and last. You work hard because you just do. You don't ask why. Why the heck would you ask why? The answer is obvious. After reading In Pursuit of Their Dreams, I understand why hard work holds such a high value in my family. I am the descendent of peasant farmers and people who worked fourteen hours a day/six days a week in textile mills to better their lives. It all makes a bit more sense now. On to learning about French - Canada (the other 50%).
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[Pete A · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jerry Williams’ In Pursuit of Their Dreams: A History of Azorean Immigration to the United States is a superb resource for those looking to gain insight into the lives of their ancestors. As someone of mixed European descent who was raised far away from the Portuguese community, I found Williams’ work was a window into the lives of my Azorean great-grandparents. Williams also provides context for what life was like in the Azores as he highlights the problems faced by Azoreans, which ultimately led them In Pursuit of Their Dreams, and in pursuit of a better life. Particularly fascinating is how immigration differed throughout the years from the first migrants to the present day. The discussion of the lives for those settling in the factory towns of the East Coast and those settling in the rural agricultural areas of the West Coast is a contrast that is rich and apparent. Overall, William’s work is scholarly and complete. It is an easy read with many charts, maps, and pictures. My only complaint is that the charts, maps, and pictures often looked as if they were cut-and-pasted straight from Microsoft Excel. The quality of these graphics did not match the quality of the narrative. Seeing as this is not published through a major commercial publishing house, I can put this aside – FIVE STARS.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an excellently-researched and clearly-written narrative about Azorean immigration to the US. I am so grateful to have read most of this book before our trip to the Azores—it gave me a more layered view of the population on Sao Miguel and also gave me insights into my own country.

[Ana Santos · Rating 4 out of 5]

Muito interessante, muito bem documentado, proporciona uma compreensão histórica, antropológica, cultural, e até política da emigração dos Açorianos para os Estados Unidos.

[Gary Lang · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great data for those interested in migration from the Azores to the US. All the conclusions were made when the 1st edition was published, and this 2nd edition was written in the late 90s. Almost to prove the point of the book... no one has taken up the charge to document Portuguese migration cultural changes in book form. Perhaps because the slow death of the culture has actually occurred.

That said, I'm going to Gustine in September of 2023.

[Monique · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very informative. More of a technical account of migration patterns than I anticipated. Occasionally repetitious from one paragraph to the next. An interesting basis for anthropological and cultural study.