In the late 19th century, a major wave of Russian immigration to the United States began, with nearly 600,000 people migrating from the Russian Empire between 1891 and 1900, and over 1.4 million in the following decade. These immigrants were primarily fleeing economic hardship, famine, and political turmoil, including the Russo-Japanese War. The influx was part of a larger movement of Eastern Europeans seeking opportunity and freedom in America. Many Russian immigrants, including a significant number of Jews and other minorities, settled in major urban centers, contributing to the nation's industrial and cultural development.

The wave of Russian immigration at the turn of the 20th century brought a diverse array of voices to American literature. The works of Jewish-American writers, many of whom were Russian immigrants, are particularly significant. This period is explored in the poetry and prose that chronicles the immigrant experience, including the journeys of figures who would later become influential American writers, contributing to the multicultural fabric of American literary modernism.