Alien Deportation Image Library

Introduction

The "Deportation Image Library" on GG Archives offers a collection of historical photographs and illustrations related to the deportation of immigrants from the United States. These images provide a visual narrative of the deportation process, capturing the experiences of those who were forcibly removed from the country during various periods of U.S. history.

Books, brochures, articles, and other ephemera provided photographs and Illustrations of the conditions and experiences of aliens deported from Ellis Island in New York from the late 1800s through World War I. Students and Family Historians are welcome to use these photographs to illustrate your reports and family histories.

Undesirable Emigrants Held at Ellis Island to be Sent Back to Their Home Country by the Steamship Company that Brought Them. 1902 Halftone reproduction of photographs in Quarantine sketches, a pamphlet published as advertising by the Maltine Co. [2] Library of Congress # 93512789. GGA Image ID # 148476c613

Detention Pen On the Roof of the Main Building at Ellis Island, Where Emigrants Held for Deportation May Go in Fine Weather. 1902 Quarantine Setches. The Maltine Company.[2] Library of Congress # 96506924. GGA Image ID # 148480ecb4

Detention Pen — on the Roof of the Main Building, Ellis Island, Where Emigrants Held for Deportation May Go in Fine Weather. The Maltine Company, Quarantine Sketches, 1902. GGA Image ID # 14ad2adfa7

Held at Ellis Island: Undesirable Emigrants to Be Taken Back by Steamship Company That Brought Them. The Maltine Company, Quarantine Sketches, 1902. GGA Image ID # 14ad5c51b4

Rejected Emigrants Await Their Return to Their Country of Origin. Not merely are the dangerous elements refused admission, but those who, for ill health of mind or body or inability to work, are likely to prove a hindrance rather than a help. On the Trail of the Immigrant, 1906. GGA Image ID # 147e163152

Detained Hungarian Immigrants. The Girl Ran Away with Her Husband's Brother, Whom She Tried to Pass as Her Husband. Both are Sent Back. The Home Missionary, March 1909. GGA Image ID # 149aeb3f12

A Young Immigrant Woman Receives Bad News About Her Husband to Be: Telegram from the West, "He is Dead." She Must Go Back. The Home Missionary, March 1909. GGA Image ID # 149b3c2442

An Immigrant Family Comes to America to Find Father. The father ran to America and married another woman, and a former husband turned up unexpectedly. The family must return, and the difficulty cleared in the home country. The Home Missionary, March 1909. GGA Image ID # 149b4d9f1f

Political Cartoon, "Now for a Round-up" by William Allen Rogers, Artist, 1918. The drawing shows Uncle Sam rounding up men labeled "Spy," "Traitor," "IWW," "Germ[an] money," and "Sinn Fein" with the United States Capitol in the background displaying a flag that states "Sedition law passed" referring to the Sedition Act of 1918. Library of Congress # 2010717793. GGA Image ID # 15447f84ef

Emma Goldman is seated on a streetcar with a man, possibly attorney Harry Weinberger, seated between her and Alexander Berkman; also, in the background, above Weinberger's head, is Uncle Sam on a recruitment poster, "First Call." Photo taken 20 June 1917. Emma Goldman, along with Alexander Berkman, were indicted in June 1917 for inciting to disrupt military recruitment in New York City, N.Y. George Grantham Bain Collection. Library of Congress # 2017648268. GGA Image ID # 148e7ac6e6

Woman Attorney for Banished "Reds" at Ellis Island. © Underwood & Underwood 15 February 1919 U&U # 165-WW 429 P1228 AU. War Department. National Archives & Records Administration 165-WW-429P-1228. NARA # 45532730. GGA Image ID # 14e1b533a4

Woman Attorney for Banished "Reds" at Ellis Island. Caroline Lowe, Attorney for Industrial Workers of the World (I.W.W.), was rushed to New York from Chicago in an Endeavor to Stop the Deportation of Foreign Mal-Contents. Government Officials Refused to Permit Her to Interview Prisoners on Ellis Island, Awaiting Deportation. © Underwood & Underwood 15 February 1919 War Department. National Archives & Records Administration 165-WW-429P-1228. NARA # 45532730. GGA Image ID # 14e1b533a5

In 1919, the IWW sent her to New York City to help Carl Recht on deportation cases in Seattle, Washington: 53 IWW aliens were being sent to Ellis Island for deportation. These deportation efforts arose from the 1919 Seattle General Strike, handled by IWW defender George Vanderveer. Recht and Lowe wrote a 200-page report on their findings, which they presented to Immigration and Labor representatives: they saved some 30 from deportation. On February 10, 1919, she gave a speech entitled "The Disillusions of Democracy" at an IWW People's Council fundraiser in New York City.

Anarchist Activist Emma Goldman (1869-1940), Wearing a Tag with the Number 38, Probably Right Before She Was Deported From the United States to the Soviet Union in December 1919. George Grantham Bain Collection. Library of Congress # 2014710080. GGA Image ID # 148e1244a8

Anna Manson, a Russian Woman Who Was Arrested in the Offices of a Russian Publication in New York City and sent to Ellis Island to Be Deported. Photograph Published In The Ogden Standard (Ogden City, Utah) on January 27, 1920, and the New York Herald on January 8, 1920. George Grantham Bain Collection. Library of Congress # 2014710216. GGA Image ID # 148d7992ea

Deportees and Repatriates Leaving the Transcontinental Train at Jersey City on Their Way to Ellis Island to Be Returned to Their Native Lands at Government Expense. Photo Courtesy of "The News," New York undated circa 1920s. The Chronicle of Ellis Island, 1935. GGA Image ID # 14df89616e

Conclusion

The Deportation Image Library serves as an important resource for understanding the human impact of immigration policies. Through these images, viewers gain insight into the personal and emotional toll of deportation, offering a powerful reminder of the challenges faced by immigrants throughout history.

Key Points

• 📸 Historical Images: The library contains a diverse range of photographs and illustrations depicting deportation scenes.
• 🚫 Deportation Process: Images capture various stages of the deportation process, from arrest to removal.
• 🌍 Global Context: The collection includes images from different time periods and locations, showing the broad impact of deportation policies.
• 👥 Human Impact: The images highlight the personal experiences of immigrants facing deportation.
• 📜 Legal and Political Context: Many images reflect the legal and political climate of the time, offering insight into the reasons behind deportations.
• 🛂 Ellis Island and Other Sites: Includes images from key deportation sites, such as Ellis Island.
• 🎥 Visual Documentation: The library serves as a visual documentation of the deportation experience in U.S. history.
• 🧳 Immigrant Communities: Depicts the effects of deportation on various immigrant communities.
• 📚 Educational Resource: The collection is a valuable resource for educators, historians, and students studying immigration history.
• 🕊️ Legacy of Deportation: The images underscore the lasting impact of deportation on individuals and families.

Summary

1. Overview of the Collection: The Deportation Image Library provides a comprehensive visual record of the deportation process in U.S. history.
2. Depiction of Deportation Stages: The images capture various aspects of deportation, from initial arrest to removal.
3. Global and Historical Context: The collection includes images from different periods and locations, reflecting the widespread impact of deportation.
4. Human Experience: Focuses on the personal and emotional toll of deportation on immigrants.
5. Legal and Political Insights: Many images offer a glimpse into the legal and political factors driving deportations.
6. Significant Deportation Sites: Features images from important locations like Ellis Island, central to the deportation process.
7. Visual Documentation: The library serves as a critical visual archive of the deportation experience.
8. Impact on Immigrant Communities: Highlights the consequences of deportation on immigrant families and communities.
9. Educational Value: A key resource for those studying or teaching immigration history.
10. Legacy of Deportation: The images remind viewers of the lasting effects of deportation on those affected.