Written By Noemi Martinez, Staff Writer
The United States and many countries across the globe have been impacted by the contributions of immigrants, but many of us do not know their names. Who are these great minds, and what have they given to us?
There are too many classic American foods enjoyed daily to name, but there are two that come straight to mind.
Donuts. Some may have seen the marvelous donut machine that creates the little dough rings that transform into pastries of delight. Made by Adolph Levitt, a Russian immigrant, who sold donuts out of his bakery in New York City. The daily rush of customers pushed him to find some way to make the process easier, so he created the donut machine. This marvelous machine would create ringlets of dough, drop them into the hot oil, and turn them over to brown the other side. His invention elevated the status of the donut and found an easier way for Americans to enjoy their treat.
What’s more American than a hamburger? The actual creator and location of the creation is highly debated, being linked to Germany, England, and the United States, but our enjoyment of it is sourced from our immigrants. New York’s Delmonico’s founders, Giovanni and Pietro Del-Monico, were two Swiss-Italian immigrants who retired on the East Coast. The cafe served a ‘hamburger steak’, a seasoned ground beef patty that is often covered in gravy.
The food did not stop there, however, Charlie Nagreen – who many consider to be the American inventor of the classic hamburger – sold a hamburger steak between two pieces of bread. He did this out of convenience, but this addition quickly helped hamburgers become part of an iconic staple of American food. While Nagreen himself was not an immigrant, the name ‘hamburger’ was inspired by the many German immigrants surrounding him, named after the city of Hamburg, Germany. A familiar name helped attract attention and create what would become a very familiar food for American culture.
Who doesn’t love a good pair of blue jeans? Looking back through the last few decades, one of the most recognizable symbols of American fashion is the blue jean. Whether it be boot cut, straight, skinny, or wide leg, many have shimmied into a pair when getting ready. Levi Strauss, Bavarian-born, and Jacob Davis, Russian-born, both created the blue jean. Stauss was a dry-goods merchant, and Davis was a tailor.
When asked to create a sturdy pair of pants by a laborer’s wife, Davis created the metal parts of the fly and pocket corners to increase strain-resistance. This feature became a hit and helped popularize the wearing of blue jeans, so Davis partnered up with Strauss to continue producing the creation for the wider American audience.
Heart issues are one of the most prevalent killers globally. Manuel “Manny” Villafaña, the son of Puerto Rican immigrants, helped develop a pacemaker powered by a lithium battery. He has continued his work in developing artificial blood vessels.
The internet is one of the most invaluable tools to date. Almost every system and job has been revolutionized by the internet, and made technology and resources available to all. There’s not a single inventor, but many impactful ones, such as Philip Emeagwali. Nigerian-born, he traveled around the world for his education, but landed in Michigan when he made his biggest contribution.
When studying for his doctoral dissertation, he wanted to simulate detecting oil reservoirs and had the idea to connect supercomputers into one singular thinking machine. Using a ‘Connection Machine’, a machine meant to use interconnected microprocessors to simulate at a quicker rate, he did what was at the time, unthinkable. Using his program, he was able to run 3.1 billion calculations per second. This created a new world of technology and opened up a giant door for digital communication. His invention transformed the technological world, allowing the internet to exist as it does now. He is hailed as one of the fathers of the internet and has won over 100 prizes for his work.
It is undeniable that the world would not be the same without the contributions of immigrants all over. Greatness isn’t prohibited by our nationalities, but grows when it is shared.