Ellis Island: Portraits of Immigrants

At the turn of the twentieth century, Ellis Island in New York Harbor became the primary entry point for European immigrants and a symbol of hope for a new life in America. Between 1892 and 1924, twelve million people (more than 70 percent of all immigrants in those years) passed through the immigration station there. Proud, fearful, delighted, dignified, or perhaps just curious, the newly arrived look out at us in this moving collection of 30 postcards--evocative portraits depicting the varied faces of our diverse ethnic heritage.

All the images are from The New York Public Library's extensive collections about Ellis Island and the immigrant experience.