Vincent J. Cannato – Guarding the Gate: Ellis Island and the Great Immigration of the late 1800s and early 1900s
This talk will give the historical background of Ellis Island, focusing on the years from 1892-1924. It will look at immigration law and polices, as well as how those laws were implemented at Ellis Island. Also included will be a discussion of the immigrant experience at Ellis Island as well as the inspection process and the reasons some immigrants were detained or excluded.
Vincent J. Cannato is an associate professor of history at the University of Massachusetts Boston. He is the author of American Passage: The History of Ellis Island and The Ungovernable City: John Lindsay and his Struggle to Save New York.