Did any of your ancestors come through Ellis Island in New York? During the early 1900s, up to four thousand newly-minted Americans arrived each day. Indeed, nearly 1/3 of all existing Americans can trace their ancestors as coming through Ellis Island. This is pretty amazing when you think about it.
Lucky for us, one of the registry clerks, Augustus Francis Sherman, was also an amateur photographer. For a period of years at the start of the century, he made a point to document the diversity of people through a series of stunning portraits. Here are a few of our favorites.
Three Slovakian women together posing outside the immigration station. Hit "Next Photo" below to see the rest of the portraits...
The Faces of Ellis Island: 12 Portraits of Immigrants from the Early 1900s