Lorena Cotton

Oneness: Angiolina the 1909 Cherry Mine Disaster Lorena Cotton

The Golden Door When they first glimpsed "The New Colossus" - The Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor - as described by Emma Lazarus, many immigrant's future in America looked brilliant. One Augusto Sargenti disembarked after his long journey from northern Italy and proceeded to Cherry, Illinois to toil in the coalmines there. A few months later his wife Angiolina with their two children Armando and Mario, too, looked upon The Lady with the Lamp and the bright future ahead. The beacon dimmed when fire ripped through the dark pit and extinguished Augusto's life and nearly smothered Angiolina's. Through tears, frustration and deep grief, Angiolina finds the strength to withstand this severe test. She gathers all her courage, survives, and unexpectedly finds happiness and transcends the heartbreak. This book is a "quick read" that you will want to experience again and share with others who want to understand the challenges faced by one huddled family's yearning to enter America through the golden door.