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Armenia: Memories From My Home

Margaret C. Tellalian Kyrkostas
Director/Curator
The Anthropology Museum of the People of New York

Sherman Gallery, Ellis Island
September 6, 1997 - February 28, 1998
Exhibit Catalog

Front Cover

A compelling and definitive book on the Ellis Island Armenian exhibit and censorship controversy. Featuring a pictorial guide of Armenians throughout history, the contributions of Armenians to America and unpublished photographs of the first genocide of the 20th Century, The 1915 Armenian Genocide.

Note: The catalog was published in 1998. All statisitics an information date to the time of the publication.

This unique exhibit is on permanent display at The Anthropology Museum of the People of New York at Queens College, Queens, New York.

On Saturday, April 16, 2005 , The Anthropology Museum of the People of New York and The Armenian Cultural Educational Resource Center Gallery, had it's ribbon-cutting ceremony and celebration of the official opening of their first major exhibition "The Human Face of Anthropology" and  "Armenia: Memories From My Home." 

The seeds of the Museum Without Walls was a 26 year plan by anthropologists Margaret Mead and, Margaret C. Tellalian-Kyrkosta, executive director.  The mission of the Museum is to promote understanding of ethnic differences and to celebrate cultural diversity.

The Anthropology Gallery includes a section on "The Voyage of Human Origins". The illustrations display the views on how humans emerged, by referring to the book of Genesis and include myths from China, India, Egypt and Greece. There are in all, 15 views represented. Other panels include scientific views of the first human.

The highlight of the Museum is the gallery featuring the exhibit, "Armenia: Memories From My Home," which was featured at Ellis Island from 1997-98 in the Sherman Gallery.  It should be noted that the National Park Service  censored the the exhibit on opening day, because of the use of the words  "Genocide," "Massacres" and related photos on the "1915 Armenian Genocide" panel.  Speaker of the New York City Council, at the time, Peter Vallone, interceded and asked that the exhibit be opened without the headings until the issue could be resolved. The controversy was followed for three weeks by the media and other government officials all over the country. The headings and photos were re-instated, after negotiations with the National Park Service Administrators and a delegation of Armenian-American community leaders reached a compromise.

The Armenian Gallery also covers the history, languange, art, music and immigration experience of of the Armenians, truly an enduring culture. At the center of the Gallery sits a female Armenian skull, circa 3100 B.C.E. from Lake Sevan, Armenia.

 

Post Diluvian Armenia

Armenia is indicated in the above Post-Diluvian map by the circled area.  According to legend, Noah's Ark landed on Mt. Ararat in 2348 BCE. At the height of its power, during the period 150-75 BCE, Tigran II extended the borders of Armenia between the Mediterranean, Black and Caspian Seas (Map design: Athanasii Kircheri, S.J. Society of Jesus).

Table of Contents

  1. Foreword
  2. Introduction
  3. Photos from Ellis Island Exhibit
  4. Introduction to Timeline; Memories, Massacres and Memories, Genocide
  5. Petroglyphs from Armenia, 9000-3000 BCE
  6. The Armenian Language and its Roots
  7. Indo-European Language Tree; Lord Byron and the Armenians
  8. Religious Background: Zoroastrianism
  9. Evolution of Armenian, Greek and Roman Churches
  10. The Armenian Genocide in the U.S. Archives 1915-1918; Events Leading to 1915-1923; The Deaths
  11. Aftermath
  12. 1915 Massacre Experience of an Eight-Year-Old; photos
  13. Genocide photos
  14. Armin T. Wegner
  15. A Child Pleads for Rest
  16. "Ravished Armenia" movie poster
  17. "Kill All the Orphans;" photos
  18. The Turkish Rationale
  19. General Antranig
  20. Genocide Statistics
  21. U.S. Media Coverage of the Armenian Genocide
  22. Puck Cartoon (1895)
  23. 1895 Newspaper photo of Erzeroum Massacres
  24. Survivors from Kayseri; photo and oral histories
  25. Turkish Rescuers
  26. Photos (1914-1920)
  27. A Retrospect of Foreign Rule over Armenia and the Massacres
  28. Musa Dagh Rescue Ship
  29. Coming to America-Immigration
  30. Armina Issues Passports and Currency during 1919-1921 Independence
  31. Learing to be American
  32. Keepsakes and Memories
  33. Graffiti Left by an American at Ellis Island
  34. Cherished Treasures
  35. First Armenian Church in U.S.A. and Liturgical Vestments
  36. NYS Board of Education Teaches the Armenian Genocide
  37. News Accounts of the Turkish Trials and the Aftermath
  38. Recent Headlines on the Armenian Genocide
  39. Armenians and the American Experience
  40. Armenians Enter the Work Force
  41. Armenians Introduce Food to America
  42. Famous Diaspora Armenians (list of prominent Armenian Americans)
  43. William Saroyan and Arshile Gorky
  44. Photo Collage of "Armenia: Memories From My Home" Exhibit Highlights
  45. Present-Day Armenian Statistics
  46. Credits and Acknowledgements

About the Author and the Anthropology Museum of the People of New York

Back Cover

Catalog Publisher
J.C. & A.L. Fawcett
38-01 23 Avenue, Astori, NY 11105
718-204-0900