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Archive

Archive

The CMS Archive consists of nearly 130 collections that document the immigrant experience in North America from the mid-19th to the 21st century. The archive is an especially rich source for refugee, forced displacement, and Italian-American studies. 

Its collections include:

The records and files of agencies that assisted immigrants entering the United States at Ellis Island.

The manifests of ships that brought refugees to the United States in the years after World War II and case files of those processed.

Papers of Italian Americans and other immigrants who rose to prominence in the United States through the arts, business, entertainment, labor organizing, the law, politics, and service to their communities.

The records of numerous Catholic and other immigrant service, advocacy, and community institutions.

The voluminous records of the National Catholic Welfare Conference’s Bureau of Immigration through 1975.

More than 5,000 photographs of the immigrant experience, including photos of the orphaned offspring of American servicemen and Korean and Japanese women.

Correspondence between Catholic leaders strategizing over possible responses to anti-Catholic bigotry and nativism in the early 20th century.

The largest surviving collection of material – including photographs – related to displaced persons in transit through New York City after World War II.

For more information or to request access to documents, please contact [email protected]. 

Explore Archival Collections

View a complete listing of the collections at the Center for Migration Studies.

Visit Archive or Request Documents

Make an appointment to visit the archive in-person or request documents.

Archive Testimonials

“The Center for Migration Studies is an invaluable resource to scholars, policymakers and members of the public who are interested in knowing more about immigration to the United States. Its archives include some of the richest records left by immigrants and the groups that have assisted them. My own work on admission of displaced persons after World War II benefited greatly from the wealth of information and perspectives included in the archive. The materials from the Immigration Bureau of the National Catholic Welfare Council are worth a visit on their own.”
Susan F. Martin, PhDDonald G. Herzberg Professor Emeritus, School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University
“I have been fortunate enough to conduct research at the Center for Migration Studies since 2007 when I began work on my dissertation. Since then I have returned regularly to supplement that research to produce a book manuscript: Whom We Shall Welcome, Italian Americans and Immigration Reform, 1945-1965, (Fordham University Press, 2019). These projects speak to the treasure trove of research materials CMS houses on Italian American and Catholic organizations and individuals. They also testify to the continuing relevance of CMS' collections to both academics and contemporary policymakers. I am beyond grateful to CMS for keeping these materials for posterity; and for keeping records open to public research.”
Danielle Battisti, PhDAssociate Professor of History, University of Nebraska at Omaha

Photos from the Archive

  • Forced Migration
  • Refugee Protection
  • Immigration Reform
  • Resources