Contrary to what some might have you believe, American identity can look like many things. These Ellis Island immigration photos prove it.
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:
![Albanian Soldier](https://allthatsinteresting.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Albanian-soldier.jpg)
Some hopeful immigrants could be held on Ellis Island for days, or even weeks, before being approved or deported.
![Algerian Man](https://allthatsinteresting.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Algerian-man.jpg)
Immigrants were given free meals upon arriving — in most cases introducing them to new foods such as bananas and ice cream.
![Ellis islanf immigrant portraits Alsace Lorraine](https://allthatsinteresting.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Alsace-Lorraine.jpg)
![Bavarian Man](https://allthatsinteresting.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Bavarian-man.jpg)
![Cossack Steppes](https://allthatsinteresting.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Cossack-steppes.jpg)
With the U.S. attitude toward becoming increasingly negative, World War I marked the end of mass immigration to America.
![Danish Man](https://allthatsinteresting.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Danish-man.jpg)
![Dutch Family](https://allthatsinteresting.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Dutch-family.jpg)
![Dutch Siblings](https://allthatsinteresting.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Dutch-siblings.jpg)
![Dutch Woman](https://allthatsinteresting.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Dutch-woman.jpg)
![Fancy Dresses](https://allthatsinteresting.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/fancy-dresses.jpg)
![Ellis Island immigrant portraits German Stowaway](https://allthatsinteresting.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/German-stowaway.jpg)
![Greek Priest](https://allthatsinteresting.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Greek-priest.jpg)
![Greek Soldier](https://allthatsinteresting.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Greek-soldier.jpg)
![Greek Woman](https://allthatsinteresting.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Greek-woman.jpg)
![Guadeloupean Woman](https://allthatsinteresting.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Guadeloupean-woman.jpg)
About 700 immigrants passed through on the very first day of Ellis Island’s operation, January 1, 1892.
![Gypsy Family](https://allthatsinteresting.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Gypsy-family.jpg)
![Italian Headdress](https://allthatsinteresting.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Italian-headdress.jpg)
Eighty percent of immigrants were processed and approved in just a number of hours.
![Italian Woman](https://allthatsinteresting.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Italian-woman.jpg)
The highest number of immigrants to arrive on Ellis Island in a single day was 11,747, on April 17, 1907.
![Lapland Children](https://allthatsinteresting.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Lapland-children.jpg)
![Norwegian Woman](https://allthatsinteresting.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Norwegian-woman.jpg)
![Rattvik Girl](https://allthatsinteresting.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Rattvik-girl.jpg)
![Romanian Piper](https://allthatsinteresting.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Romanian-piper.jpg)
![Romanian Shepherd](https://allthatsinteresting.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Romanian-shepherd.jpg)
As opposed to wealthier arrivals, poor passengers were detained on the island for physical inspections and further legal questioning.
![Romanian Women](https://allthatsinteresting.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Romanian-women.jpg)
![Russian Cossacks](https://allthatsinteresting.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Russian-Cossacks.jpg)
![Ruthenian Woman](https://allthatsinteresting.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Ruthenian-woman.jpg)
![Sami Laplander](https://allthatsinteresting.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Sami-Laplander.jpg)
![Scottish Boys](https://allthatsinteresting.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Scottish-boys.jpg)
![Serbian Gypsies](https://allthatsinteresting.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Serbian-Gypsies.jpg)
![Shepherd Pipers](https://allthatsinteresting.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/shepherd-pipers.jpg)
![Slovak Family](https://allthatsinteresting.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Slovak-family.jpg)
To accommodate the dietary requirements of Jewish immigrants, a kosher kitchen was built in 1911.
![Slovakian Women](https://allthatsinteresting.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Slovakian-women.jpg)
It is estimated that nearly 40 percent of U.S. citizens can trace at least one ancestor back to Ellis Island.
![Three Cossacks](https://allthatsinteresting.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/three-Cossacks.jpg)
Many famous people were processed at Ellis Island, including Charlie Chaplin, Carl Jung, Sigmund Freud, Charles Atlas, and Irving Berlin.
![Turkish Man](https://allthatsinteresting.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Turkish-man.jpg)
The last person to pass through Ellis Island was a Norwegian merchant seaman by the name of Arne Peterssen in 1954.
![Hindu Boy](https://allthatsinteresting.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Hindu-boy.jpg)
All photos taken by Augustus Sherman (ca. 1905-1914)
Next, check out these chilling photos of American child labor in the early 20th century and striking photographs of people around the world at the turn of the 20th century.