Ellis Revisited
Self Portrait, Ellis Island, © Wendy Erickson
In 1983 and 1985 I was part of a team of photographers allowed free run of Ellis Island, armed with cameras, film, hardhats and protective gear. It was a joint documentary project with the National Park Service and Montclair State University. Some of my photographs are included in (now out of print) Aperture book “Ellis Island, Echoes from a Nation’s Past.”
I recently found my archive of work on the island, and will soon be sharing some of my images that have rarely been seen.
About the book— “A celebration of photography as well as a document of the place, Ellis Island contains images by such well-known photographers as Jerry Uelsmann and Emmet Gowin. Filled with dozens of family portraits and both historic and contemporary documentary photos, the book resists the temptation for superficial flag-waving, instead providing a thoughtful and loving portrait of this sacred landmark in the American soul.”
—Los Angeles Times