2009 Ellis Island Family Heritage Awards

Iconic quarterback Joe Namath; Nobel laureate Dr. Eric R. Kandel; comedian and producer Jerry Seinfeld; and music superstars Gloria and Emilio Estefan were the distinguished honorees recognized on May 19, 2009, by The Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation, Inc. for their contributions to the "American tapestry." I was especially pleased to see Joe Namath honored, as his grandparents came from Hungary to Western Pennsylvania about the same time as my great-grandparents moved to the area from Poland.

The Ellis Island Family Heritage Awards, now in its 8th year, are presented by The Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation, Inc. to celebrate "exemplary Ellis Island/Port of New York immigrants or their descendents who have made a major contribution to the American experience." The B.C. Forbes Peopling of America Award, sponsored by the Forbes Family, honors the lives of immigrants who arrived at another time or through another port of entry.

The 2009 honorees:

SPORTS — Joe Namath — Born in Beaver Falls, PA, Mr. Namath received a Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of Alabama. The iconic quarterback led his New York Jets to a legendary upset in Super Bowl III. The game’s first true media superstar was elected to Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1985. His father Janos (John) immigrated to America from Hungary in 1920. His mother, Rose Juhasz, born in America, was also the daughter of Hungarian immigrants.

SCIENCE/MEDICINE — Dr. Eric R. Kandel — Awarded the 2000 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine for his contribution to understanding the molecular basis of memory storage. Currently University Professor at Columbia, Fred Kavli Professor and Director, Kavli Institute for Brain Science and Senior Investigator at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. Dr. Kandel came to America from Vienna, Austria as a child in 1939.

ENTERTAINMENT — Jerry Seinfeld — The Brooklyn-born comedian’s first successful spot on The Tonight Show launched his career. He teamed up with Larry David in 1989 to create and star in the celebrated TV series Seinfeld which ran for nine seasons on NBC and is still shown in syndication. Mr. Seinfeld is currently executive producing the real life comedy, The Marriage Ref, for NBC. His maternal grandparents emigrated from Syria.

B.C. FORBES PEOPLING OF AMERICA AWARD — This Award honors immigrants who arrived after the Ellis era or through another port. Gloria and Emilio Estefan both fled Cuba with their respective families after the rise of Fidel Castro. They met in a local Miami band in 1975 and the rest is history. Gloria is a world-renowned recording artist, and Emilio one of America’s most successful music and television producers. The Estefans support many charities including their Gloria Estefan Foundation dedicated to childhood illnesses, paralysis research and animals. Emilio wrote and produced Gloria’s latest chart topping album 90 Millas, a tribute to their native Cuba.