Ellis Island

Ellis Island New York City, NY Four out of ten Americans trace their heritage to Ellis Island

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.

1 st 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 Passengers Only 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 for medical examination. At the far left of the photograph, a doctor can be seen checking a child’s eyes for signs of trachoma. A doctor examines a woman who bears a 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 in the 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 and contagious wards contained beds 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 Island NOT the Ellis Island of the West

Angel Island Immigration Station Open from Processed and detained mostly immigrants from Asia, but also some from Latin America The Chinese Exclusion Act was still in effect ( ) Nevertheless, over 56,000 Chinese immigrants came through Angel Island between Unlike at Ellis Island, immigrants on Angel Island were detained anywhere from several days up to several months or longer