Ellis Island is a federally owned island in New York Harbor, situated within the U.S. states of New Jersey and New York, that was once the busiest immigrant inspection and processing station in the United States. From 1892 to 1954, nearly 12 million immigrants arriving at the Port of New York and New Jersey were processed there under federal law. It has been part of the Statue of Liberty National Monument since 1965 and is accessible to the public only by ferry. The north side of the island is a national museum of immigration, while the south side of the island, including the Ellis Island Immigrant Hospital, is open to the public only through guided tours.
Jacob August Riis was a Danish-American social reformer, "muckraking" journalist, and social documentary photographer. He contributed significantly to the cause of urban reform in the United States of America at the turn of the twentieth century. He is known for using his photographic and journalistic talents to help the impoverished in New York City; those impoverished New Yorkers were the subject of most of his prolific writings and photography. He endorsed the implementation of "model tenements" in New York with the help of humanitarian Lawrence Veiller. He was an early proponent of the newly practicable casual photography and one of the first to adopt photographic flash. While living in New York, Riis experienced poverty and became a police reporter writing about the quality of life in the slums. He attempted to alleviate the poor living conditions of poor people by exposing these conditions to the middle and upper classes.
Castle Clinton is a restored circular sandstone fort within Battery Park at the southern end of Manhattan in New York City. Built from 1808 to 1811, it was the first American immigration station, predating Ellis Island. More than 7.5 million people arrived in the United States at Fort Clinton between 1855 and 1890. Over its active life, it has also functioned as a beer garden, exhibition hall, theater, and public aquarium. The structure is a New York City designated landmark and a United States national monument, and it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Robert Barnhill Roosevelt, also known as Robert Barnwell Roosevelt, was a sportsman, author, and politician who served as a United States representative from New York (1871–1873) and as Minister to the Hague (1888–1889). He was also a member of the Roosevelt family and an uncle of US President Theodore Roosevelt.
Thomas Francis Gilroy was the 89th mayor of New York City from 1893 to 1894.
James Aloysius O'Gorman was an American attorney, judge, and politician from New York. A Democrat, he is most notable for his service as a United States Senator from March 31, 1911, to March 3, 1917.
Anthony (Antonio) de Francisci was an Italian-American sculptor who designed a number of United States coins and medals. His most famous design was the Peace Dollar, which was first minted in 1921.
Salvatore "Sam Sings in the Night" Catalanotte was an Italian-American mobster. "Sings in the night" is a translation of a close misspelling of his last name. Catalanotte immigrated from Sicily to Detroit in 1912 and participated and survived the Giannola and Vitale gang war. After surviving this war, Catalanotte later assumed the highest leadership position within the Detroit mafia. In addition to his mafia dealings, Catalanotte was also recorded to be a baker and a director of the Detroit Italian bakeries. Catalanotte died on February 14, 1930, from pneumonia and his funeral took place in Detroit.
Gideon John Tucker was an American lawyer, newspaper editor and politician. In 1866, as Surrogate of New York County, he wrote in a decision on a legal malpractice claim against a deceased lawyer's estate: "No man's life, liberty or property are safe while the Legislature is in session."
William Sohmer was an American politician.
Adolph Achille Gereau, or Adolph Gereau, was a United States Virgin Islands civil servant who was the principal founder of the Republican Club and one of the committee of founders of the Republican Party of the United States Virgin Islands.
Sigvald Asbjørnsen was a Norwegian-born American sculptor.
Randolph Brant Martine was an American lawyer and politician from New York.
The Ellis Island Immigrant Hospital was a United States Public Health Service hospital on Ellis Island, in New York Harbor, that operated from 1902 to 1951. The hospital is part of the Statue of Liberty National Monument. While the monument is managed by the National Park Service as part of the National Parks of New York Harbor office, the south side of Ellis Island, including the hospital, is managed by the non-profit Save Ellis Island Foundation and has been off-limits to the general public since its closing in 1954.
Bernard F. Martin was an American politician from Manhattan, New York City.
Nageeb Arbeely, was a naturalized-American of Syrian descent, appointed by President Grover Cleveland to the post of Consul in Jerusalem in 1885.
William Williams was the federal commissioner of immigration for the Port of New York, from 1902 to 1905 and again, from 1909 to 1914. His office was on Ellis Island, which was the location of the nation's most important immigrant inspection station.
The Immigration Act of 1891, also known as the 1891 Immigration Act, was a modification of the Immigration Act of 1882, focusing on immigration rules and enforcement mechanisms for foreigners arriving from countries other than China. It was the second major federal legislation related to the mechanisms and authority of immigration enforcement, the first being the Immigration Act of 1882. The law was passed on March 3, 1891, at the end of the term of the 51st United States Congress, and signed into law by then United States President Benjamin Harrison.
Leon Sanders was a Jewish-American lawyer, politician, and judge from New York.
Charles Newton Holden was an American politician who served as city treasurer of Chicago, a Chicago alderman, president of the Chicago Board of Education, and Chicago commissioner of taxes. He was the unsuccessful Republican Party nominee for mayor of Chicago in 1862.
Algerian immigrant
Girl from the Kochersberg region near Strasbourg, Alsace
Dutch siblings from the Island of Marken, holding religious tracts
Tattooed German stowaways deported May, 1911
Rev. Joseph Vasilon, Greek-Orthodox priest
