Nicholas O’Carroll Graig-na-managh , County Killkenny 1848

1. Nicholas O’Carroll Graig-na-managh, County Killkenny1848 It was a black putrid mush that smelled worse than it looked. The whole field was filled with the poisoned potatoes. He thought he might eat bread from the plentiful wheat crop of the landlord’s fields, but that was sent to England. Now fifteen months later half of his friends were gone – the lucky ones moved. The others stayed, but stopped breathing. He had to make a choice.

2. Charles Hotham – Queensland, Australia1900 There is too much competition in the gold fields and disputes over labor by migrant workers in the sugar cane fields. People resent the Chinese for trying to get rich from the gold. Others resent the migrant workers taking jobs from white settlers. As sentiments of nationalism grow in Australia, it is our duty to take control of our great nation. Non-white immigrations will not be allowed to come to Australia and jobs for immigrants already here will be restricted. This will be our official government policy – a white Australia.

3. Korigai (Big Tom) – Baltimore, Maryland1865 He had been the faithful servant of a family outside Savannah. He heard the war might be drawing to an end. He dreamed of the day he and his wife would be on a ship to Africa. He heard of a place in his home land where everyone was liberated.

4. Jean de Feuilly – 30 miles from Paris1791 His father was not rich. He was a simple wine merchant. He supplied wine to the parties at Versailles. But, his father was afraid of what might happen. Marat said that anyone that helped the court was an enemy of the people. His father just sold wine, but to be safe, he told his son to pack.

5. KuntaKinte – Gambia, West Africa 1768 KuntaKinte was one of 98 slaves brought to Annapolis, Maryland aboard the ship Lord Ligonier in 1767, and despite many years in bondage, he never lost his connection to his African heritage. KuntaKinte's experience symbolizes the struggle of all ethnic groups to preserve their cultural heritage. His story changed the way Americans viewed his people and their plight.

6. Lanakila – Hawaiian Islands1887 I hear my parents talking about changes on the islands. The white people continue to take more liberties than they should. Now, you must own property in order to vote, so most Hawaiians and even our Chinese immigrant laborers from Guangdong can’t vote. The white community is taking over. Now, new immigrant laborers are coming from Japan to work in the sugar cane fields and pineapple plantations. What will happen to our beautiful traditional islands?

7. Davy Tanner – Upper Heyford, England1765 His family had lived on the Templeton Estate for longer than anyone could remember. But, Master Richard Templeton wanted to change everything. He bought Tull’s seed drill and a fancy iron plow. He built fences in the north field and he told most of us to leave within 30 days. We appealed to old master Templeton, but he told us that young Richard was making the decisions. His wife Sarah was pregnant, but that made no mind to Master Richard. Davy was forced to make a decision. He had heard about a cotton textile factory in London.

8. Hiroto – Kyoto, Japan1800 The people of his village are farmers, but his family needs more money to live on, so every year during the dry season following the harvest the men from his village travel to help harvest crops in the Dutch East Indies. As an agricultural worker in the Pacific, he hopes to go to an island with a community of people from his homeland. His wife is left behind to take on new roles in society.

9. Claudio Reyes – Buenos Aires, Argentina1880 Economic conditions in Italy are no longer suitable for my family. Because of the unification of Italy into one country, we now face unemployment, overpopulation, impoverishment, and political turmoil. But, Argentina is now free from Spanish colonial rule. We decided to travel to Buenos Aires to make a new start. I will use my unique iron-making skills and artistic style to forge a new life for us all.

10. Taffy Simpson – London, England1823 He was hungry. He had nothing to eat for three days. His mother had lost her job at the factory because she could no longer take the baskets up to the third flood. She was always coughing, but now there was blood in her cough. Taffy was hungry and his mother needed food too. He was caught. The magistrate told him that he could hang, but that the holding prisons were too crowded. He laughed at Taffy and told him that about a scenic trip to New South Wales (East Australia) with thousands of his “friends” and not to worry about his mother because she would be dead in a few weeks.

11. MandalPandey – Calcutta, India 1837 Mandal arrived in Calcutta with his contract volunteering to work for the British Empire for 5 years. His family was starving, and this was the only way to guarantee they would be fed and cared for. He wondered where he would end up. He thought it would be a sugar plantation in the WestIndies but a more eastern location was his fate.

12. Tzu Ting – Guangdong, China1860 He could hardly wait to leave this overpopulated city. He heard of mountains of gold in California and riches beyond belief. He already knew where he would live in San Francisco, since so many men from his village had already gone. He wanted a bright new future and he would transplant his culture into this new environment with support from his fellow people.

13. Hao Ting – Guangdong, China1883 He wished he had left for North America 20 years ago when his cousin had first asked him to leave, but he was too young. Now, he could be imprisoned if he was caught coming to the U.S., but there was no work for him in China. He was hoping to find work on an amazing railroad in North America…if he made it there.

14. Soloman Rothstein – Kiev, Russia1881 He can hear the rioters on the street, it is not safe to leave the house. He does not understand why he is being blamed for the death of the tsar. He heard his dad say it was because they were Jewish, and they needed to leave their homes. But, where would they go? The new railway isn’t ready yet. They might have to flee on foot.

15. Jacques Renot – Saint-Dominque1755 He couldn’t stand the hard labor any longer. He would not take orders from this white man in his land anymore. He heard about the maroon society led by Francois Mackandal. Is it true they rebelled? Could this be the beginning of their freedom? He would join them no matter what the cost.