Ellis Island

Ellis Island New York City, NY

Four out of ten Americans trace their heritage to

Ellis Island.

1892-1954

Class System

Ellis Island showcased some of the best

aspects of the United States, but also some of

the worst. Its very existence was testimony

to a class system.

1st Class Ticket

Immigrants who could afford a first- or second-class ticket aboard the big ocean liners from Europe were briefly

inspected aboard ship and allowed to pass

directly into the United States.

Steerage PassengersOnly the poor were required to

undergo an inspection at Ellis Island, and the poor

comprised, by far, the majority of immigrants.

These steerage passengers-so called because they

traveled in the lowest levels of the ship – did not always receive a warm welcome.

Ellis Island

The wharves were large enough to receive immigrants from 2 ships simultaneously.

Once ashore, they went straight into a giant hall and a maze of aisles where they waited their turn to talk with a registry clerk, and a

medical inspection.

Medical Inspections

A mother and her children wait formedical examination. At the far left of the photograph, a doctorcan be seen checking a child’s

eyes for signs of trachoma.

A doctor examines a woman who bearsa chalk mark on her dress, courtesy of

a sharp-eyed inspector.

The symbols used were:• B – Back• C - Conjunctivitis• CT – Trachoma• E – Eyes• F – Face• FT – Feet• G – Goiter• H – Heart• K – Hernia• L – Lameness

• N – Neck• P – Physical and Lungs• PG – Pregnancy• S – Senility• SC – Scalp (Favus)• SI – Special Inquiry• X – Suspected Mental

defect• ⓧ – Definite signs of

Mental defect

After passing the medical examination, immigrants waited anxiously inthe Registry room to be summoned to an inspector’s desk for the legal inspection.

Those who failed to pass the initial inspection, due to improper papers or failed health screenings, were placed in a wire-screened enclosure. Sometimes

paperwork could be corrected. Sometimes immigrants were placed in quarantine. Many times,

these immigrants were just sent back home. Sometimes family members would be separated.

The Ellis Island hospital andcontagious wards containedbeds for 700 patients.

Deportation:Expulsion of someone from a country.

Immigrants who failed inspection were often sent home. Pictured

are immigrants who are awaiting deportation in an outdoor area of Ellis

Island.

Having passed all inspections, immigrants were permitted to send telegrams notifying

relatives of their safe arrival to America.

Angel IslandNOT the Ellis Island of the West

Angel Island Immigration Station

• Open from 1910-1940• Processed and detained mostly immigrants from

Asia, but also some from Latin America• The Chinese Exclusion Act was still in effect (1882-

1943)• Nevertheless, over 56,000 Chinese immigrants came

through Angel Island between 1910-40• Unlike at Ellis Island, immigrants on Angel Island

were detained anywhere from several days up to several months or longer