Immigrants:The Roots of Innovation

                                MMNC Presents “Immigrants: The Roots of Innovations

With many thanks and gratitude, MMNC is proud to present a new exhibition at the Staten Island Conference house in Tottenville.  Sponsored by Council-member Steven Matteo and the Department of Cultural Affairs, this exhibition highlights the pioneers of the maritime industry whether they built a business, changed technology or even furthered communication. These people helped to shape the industry to bring us to the developments that helped create the modern world we live today.

MMNC Chairman Samir Farag with the exhibition at the SI Conference House

The maritime industry had undergone various changes as time passed and innovative ideas were circulated. Many of these minds helping to develop better technology, communications and business were not always a native to the land in which the ideas blossomed. The United States has been the land of dreams and opportunities. Many were seeking refuge from war, poverty and even just to better their situations.

In this exhibition, we are introducing some background characters who left an impact on the modern world. Their ideas led to developments that helped in battles, help keep a business growing or even help to make communication faster.

John B. Caddell (Google Images)

Many Staten Islanders might recognize the name Caddell. Sitting on Richmond terraces for more than 30years id Caddell Dry Dock. Founded by Nova Scotus native, this business began in Brooklyn later moving to Staten island. Caddell established his business s to keep up with the time later growing and expanding only to continue to prosper as it does today. Caddell’s business continued to change how it functioned to service its customers, even though tough time like the great depression and even the decline of the Maritime Industry the business continued to shine through and move forward. John B Caddell, was not a native to New York but he came here with a dream and with knowledge that continues to be the backbone to a strong business even in the time of technology the modern world lives in.

Hedy Lamarr (Google Images)

The famous and beautiful starlet, Hedy Lamar an Austria native who came and provided us with endless movie classics is another highlight in our exhibition. Aside from being an on-screen beauty, Lamar was known; gable on maritime equipment and communications form her homeland where her husband had helped support Hitler in the world war. Collaborating with a musical friend, Lamar developed an idea to previous enemies from eavesdropping and jamming frequencies as the war was going on. With this idea, the enemy would be taken by surprise. Ahead of its time “frequency mapping” was not used widely but developed popularity after its positive use during the Cuban Missile Crisis. The idea later laid the foundation for a very strong development in communications, Wi-Fi.

Many immigrants have helped shape the way we live today and many of the advancements began during the maritime industry and effected the way things had worked. Communications and businesses were very important and remain the same today. Communications changed from radios and Morse Code to being as simple as a text or phone call. Business prosper continue to generate popularity to their neighbors and cities which continue to help the world to share ideas and continue to advance in many ways.