Photos of Immigrants coming through Ellis Island from 1892-1925

As a clerk at Ellis Island from 1892-1925, Augustus Sherman was in a unique position to document countless immigrants as they attempted to gain entrance into the United States. The untrained photographer had an undeniable natural talent: Even with bulky cameras and the time-consuming exposure process they required, Sherman was able to take more than 200 photos — of subjects typically detained for interrogation — that reveal as much about the subjects’ fears as they do the diverse reality of our national heritage.

Editor's note: My grandfather Robert Ginsburg arrived at Ellis Island twice before he was let in, in 1921.