John F. Kennedy once wrote “Every American who has ever lived, with the exception of one group, was either an immigrant himself or a descendant of immigrants." Since the country’s founding, immigrants have contributed a critical component of what makes the United States such a vibrant and unique country in the world. No matter where an immigrant comes from, the challenges of moving don’t end on the day he or she enters the United States. Once in the country, legally or illegally, naturalized or not, immigrants face decisions on how to present themselves, whether to give up their names or native languages, and what being “American” means for them. As a result, the immigration experiences of some Americans — even those the United States has embraced as iconic Americans — have been quite varied. 10 Iconic Americans you may not have known were immigrants:
