A portrait of America

At the turn of the 20th century, an amateur photographer captured future Americans as they passed through Ellis Island

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Italian woman.
(Image credit: Augustus Sherman/Public Domain.)
The 'huddled masses': An Atlantic liner packed with immigrants approaches Ellis Island in 1906.
(Image credit: (Everett Collection Historical / Alamy Stock Photo)Sherman was also an amateur photographer. And, as he worked his way up the ranks, he was afforded increasing access to immigrants who were t)

German stowaway.
(Image credit: (Augustus Sherman)

Three Dutch women.
(Image credit: (Augustus Sherman)

A Hindu boy.
(Image credit: (Augustus Sherman)

Children from Lapland.
(Image credit: (Augustus Sherman)

Romanian shepherd.
(Image credit: (Augustus Sherman)

Italian woman.
(Image credit: (Augustus Sherman)

Algerian man.
(Image credit: (Augustus Sherman)

Slovak woman and children.
(Image credit: (Augustus Sherman)

Greek soldier.
(Image credit: (Augustus Sherman)

Dutch children.
(Image credit: (Augustus Sherman)

Lauren Hansen
Lauren Hansen

Lauren Hansen produces The Week’s podcasts and videos and edits the photo blog, Captured. She also manages the production of the magazine's iPad app. A graduate of Kenyon College and Northwestern University, she previously worked at the BBC and Frontline. She knows a thing or two about pretty pictures and cute puppies, both of which she tweets about @mylaurenhansen.