Thanks to a collaboration with South Asian American Digital Archive (SAADA), the only independent non-profit organization working to document, preserve and provide access to the rich history of South Asians in the United States, we’re delighted to share an original image every Monday. Today’s feature — an original aerogram.
For you newcomers, aerogram, or the French “aérogramme,” means literally “air letter.” These particular pieces of mail, both letter and envelope, carried across oceans by airplane, connected many a homesick immigrant with family back home.
Or in this particular case, an aerogram helped Mrs. Gustav Lange share her thoughts with Bhagwan Singh Gyanee in India. Gyanee was a leader of the Ghadar Party from 1914-1917 and lived in the United States for nearly 50 years until finally returning to India in 1958. Says Samip Mallik, executive director of SAADA, “I chose this one first because it’s an aerogram and second because Mrs. Lange’s penmanship is impeccable.”
