Photographs, New York Library archives

This link should lead you to the New York Public Library collection of historic  photographs stored on their flickr site.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nypl/
It is a fascinating site with a wealth of visual information, most of which is copyright free and available to copy, download and print. These few photos are from the Ellis Island set which is a collection of photographs of immigrants at Ellis Island who arrived from all over he world at the beginning of the twentieth century. I find these photos fascinating, like something from a lost world.

Amateur photographer, Augustus Sherman, the Ellis Island Chief Registry Clerk, had special access to potential subjects for his camera. It is likely that Sherman's elaborately costumed subjects were detainees, new immigrants held at Ellis Island for one reason or another. While waiting for what they needed to leave the island (an escort, or money, or travel tickets), some of these immigrants may have been persuaded to pose for Sherman's camera, donning their best holiday finery or national dress, which they had brought with them from home. Sherman's pictures were published in National Geographic in 1907 and for decades hung anonymously in the lower Manhattan headquarters of the federal Immigration Service. Incoming correspondence in the William Williams Papers suggests that the Commissioner gave copies of Sherman's haunting photographs to official Ellis Island visitors as mementos.

1, Algerian man.
Digital ID: 418036. Sherman, Augustus F. (Augustus Francis) -- Photographer. [ca. 1906-1914]
Source: William Williams papers / Photographs of immigrants
Repository: The New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division.
2, Algerian man.
Digital ID: 418058. Sherman, Augustus F. (Augustus Francis) -- Photographer. [ca. 1906-1914]
Source: William Williams papers / Photographs of immigrants
Repository: The New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Divisio
3, Hindoo boy.
Digital ID: 418056. Sherman, Augustus F. (Augustus Francis) -- Photographer. [1911]
Notes: Indentified in Peter Mesenholler 'Augustus F. Sherman: Ellis Island Portraits 1905-1920' (c1905) p.94 from another print that bears a caption: Thumbu Sammy, aged 17, Hindoo ex SS 'Adriatic', April 14, 1911.
Source: William Williams papers / Photographs of immigrants
Repository: The New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division.


















4, Three women from Guadeloupe.
Digital ID: 1206544. Sherman, Augustus F. (Augustus Francis) -- Photographer
Source: William Williams papers / Photographs of immigrants
Repository: The New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division.
5, Turkish man.
Digital ID: 1206551. Sherman, Augustus F. (Augustus Francis) -- Photographer. [1912]
Notes: Identified in Peter Mesenholler 'Augustus F. Sherman: Ellis Island Portraits 1905-1920' (c1905) p.69 from caption on back of print reproduced there: 'Turkish bank guard John Postantzis, Feb 9, 1912'.
Source: William Williams papers / Photographs of immigrants
Repository: The New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division.
6, Group photograph of newly-arrived immigrants in native costumes.
Digital ID: 417072. Group photograph of newly-arrived immigrants in native costumes, some with turbans, some with fezzes.. 1902-1913
Source: Photographs of Ellis Island, 1902-1913.
Repository: The New York Public Library. Photography Collection, Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Division of Art, Prints and Photographs.
7, A group of immigrants, most wearing fezzes, surrounding a large vessel.
Digital ID: 417073. A group of immigrants, most wearing fezzes, surrounding a large vessel which is decorated with the star and crescent symbol of the Moslem religion and the Ottoman Turks.. 1902-1913
Source: Photographs of Ellis Island, 1902-1913.
Repository: The New York Public Library. Photography Collection, Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Division of Art, Prints and Photographs.

delete reply mitchylr wrote on Sep 13, '10 What a fantastic resource!! I've bookmarked it and will be dipping in and out of it frequently.

delete reply veryfrank wrote on Sep 13, '10 I hadn't viewed the NY Library site before, most interesting collection of photos there. Thank you for posting the link.

Comment deleted at the request of the author.

delete reply skeezicks1957 wrote on Sep 13, '10 I had fun looking at the Civil War pictures. Thanks.

delete reply starfishred wrote on Sep 13, '10 This is wonderful and what great link thanks

delete reply sanssouciblogs wrote on Sep 12, '10 Loretta, this is a wonderful and unique choice for presentation. Fascinating! I am still waiting to get over to Ellis Island, we just haven't had the chance, but we recently visited the (main branch) of the New York Public Library--it's a great place to visit. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_Public_Library (The wedding that fell apart scene was filmed here) Sex and the City Each of the 5 boroughs of NYC has many neighborhood branches.