Documenting Before the Digital_NYC Immigrants’ Stories is an editorial design and historical research project exploring the lives, working conditions, and personal experiences of immigrants in New York City during the late nineteenth century. Through fragmented narratives and archival materials, the publication examines the physical and emotional challenges faced by immigrant communities during a period of significant social and economic change.

Inspired by the ways stories were documented before the digital age, the project explores how photography, books, and printed media preserved historical memory and gave visibility to immigrant experiences. Typography, imagery, and narrative sequencing transform archival material into an accessible visual narrative connecting historical documentation with contemporary perspectives on identity, migration, and belonging.

All materials utilized in the project are property of The New York Public Library’s Picture Collection.

Disciplines: Editorial Design, Publication Design, Historical Research, Visual Communication, Typography, Archival Design.

Software: Adobe InDesign, Adobe Photoshop.