Between 1892 and 1954, Ellis Island served as the United States’ largest immigration station, processing up to 12 million people in that period. Serving as Ellis Island’s chief registry clerk sometime between 1906 and 1917, amateur photographer Augustus Sherman photographed a handful of immigrants who passed through the place. According to the New York Public Library, his subjects were most likely asked to wear their best holiday finery or national dress. Originally published in National Geographic in 1907, these stunning portraits are now brought back to life (colorized) by Jordan Lloyd of Dynamichrome.
1910, Dutch woman (Augustus Francis Sherman/New York Public Library)Cossack man (Augustus Francis Sherman/New York Public Library)1911, Hindoo boy (Augustus Francis Sherman/New York Public Library)1909, Danish man (Augustus Francis Sherman/New York Public Library)Norwegian womanAugustus Francis Sherman/New York Public Library“The vestments of the Greek Orthodox church have remained largely unchanged.” 1910, Rev. Joseph Vasilon, Greek-Orthodox priest (Augustus Francis Sherman/New York Public Library)1910, Italian womanAugustus Francis Sherman/New York Public Library1910, Bavarian man (Augustus Francis Sherman/New York Public Library)1910, Laplander (Augustus Francis Sherman/New York Public Library)910, Algerian man (Augustus Francis Sherman/New York Public Library)906, Alsace-Lorraine girl (Augustus Francis Sherman/New York Public Library)1906, Romanian shepherd (Augustus Francis Sherman/New York Public Library)1910, Guadeloupean Woman (Augustus Francis Sherman/New York Public Library)1910, Albanian soldier (Augustus Francis Sherman/New York Public Library)1906, Ruthenian womanAugustus Francis Sherman/New York Public Library1910, Romanian piper (Augustus Francis Sherman/New York Public Library)
