Embassy Programs & Events
The Story of the Red Star Line and Emigration from Belgium
Speaking from his own family's experience as immigrants from the Ukraine to the US Ambassador Sam Fox along with Vice-Mayor Philip Heylen of Antwerp opened the exhibit, “Antwerp = America = Red Star Line,” at the National Maritime Museum in Antwerp on March 19.
The exhibit, which is open until the end of 2008, highlights the importance of immigration to the United States and the role of the Antwerp-based Red Star Line shipping company which, between 1870 and 1934, transported more than two million European immigrants to America via Antwerp.
A large crowd of 220 high-level contacts attended the opening. Several media reported on the event, including the local ATV television station, national VRT and Euronews. Most of them highlighted the fact that Ambassador Fox’s mother and sister departed from Antwerp to America on a Red Star Line ship on February 14, 1921. Flemish independent daily De Standaard ran a full-page interview with the Ambassador on this personal family story.
In his remarks, the Ambassador emphasized that the exhibit showed that “Belgium and the United States are connected by... families, by the stories of people who risked their lives to find a better life.”
The opening was followed the next day by the Soiree d’O youth art festival in the museum. About 1,000 youngsters participated in various events in the museum and on the museum grounds, including a visit of the exhibit.