Making America Great: Immigrant Success Stories

The U.S. Constitution was signed by 39 men, all of whom we consider the "founding fathers" of the nation. But did you know that seven of those 39 were immigrants to the United States? Immigrants have served as politicians in the United States since the country's founding, in all branches and all levels of government. Readers learn about the contributions of immigrants who served as senators, congressional representatives, mayors, and governors, such as Henry Kissinger, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Pramila Jayapal, Mazie Hirono, and Tammy Duckworth.

At a time when immigration makes daily news headlines, the contributions of newcomers to our nation's economy cannot be ignored. Their talent and determination drove them to leave their homelands for a better life. But they didn't just make their lives better; some immigrant entrepreneurs have built empires, and reshaped our lives in the process. Focusing on those individuals who truly embody the American Dream, this volume touches on powerhouses like news mogul Arianna Huffington from Greece, computer innovator An Wang from China, steel magnate and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie from Scotland, and many more from across the globe.

The United States has been the one of the world leaders in scientific discovery for almost a century, and that is due in no small part to the contributions of immigrants. Yet new arrivals to the country have always faced some measure of hostility and suspicion, despite the fact that American success continues to be built on the backs of immigrants. This volume looks at the scientific achievements of early immigrants, from Joseph Priestley and Nikola Tesla to Enrico Fermi and Albert Einstein, as well as the contributions of modern immigrant scientists from every continent.

The United States has often been described as a melting pot, and many people who have immigrated to the U.S. from other countries in search of the American dream have contributed not just their cultural histories and traditions, but their artistic spirit as well. This book covers important immigrant artists such as the naturalist painter John James Audubon, Superman co-creator Joe Shuster, multimedia artist Yoko Ono, cartoonist Art Spiegelman, and the street artist Thierry Guetta (Mr. Brainwash). Immigrant artists have collectively helped to make America great through their tremendous impact on the visual arts.

If music is the universal language, then sports is a close second. Every four years the world comes together for soccer's World Cup as well as the Olympics. We take pride in presenting our best to compete against the best. As a country of immigrants, the United States has always been a standout. In fact, some of our best athletes have come from other countries. Readers learn about the greatness of basketball player Dikembe Mutombo, tennis star Martina Navratilova, baseball great Albert Pujols, weightlifter-turned-movie star Arnold Schwarzenegger and more athletes who have come to this country and excelled at their sport.

Computers and technology play central roles in our lives for work, entertainment, communication, and information management. It is difficult to imagine a time without these tools and even harder to envision living without them now. How were these wonderful toys of technology created? Who is developing future innovations? Think of some of the most famous and familiar services and platforms: Google, eBay, Yahoo, Facebook. Did you know that immigrants such as Sundar Pichai, Jerry Yang, and Jan Kuom, are the creative engines behind these tech juggernauts? This book tells the story of seven of the amazing Americans changing our world.