Just finished watching the American Experience piece about The Chinese Exclusion Acts and a very well done and moving piece documenting a dark part of American history. Even though it is centered around the Chinese Exclusion Acts that banned Chinese immigration to the US from 1880 to 1940 and also stripped Chinese in American of many civil rights it also deals with much of the history of Chinese in American including the lynchings of Chinese and the burning of Chinatowns. It also puts the Exclusion Acts into context of the racial struggles following the civil war and also how excluding the Chinese affected restrictions on immigrants from other countries including Europe.. It is very timely as many of the issues are still with us. This is history that should be known by every American but particularly by those of us who are immigrants from Asia or the children of immigrants from Asia. For me personally I didn't learn about the Exclusion Acts until college. Even though I knew a lot of this history already I was still very moved by the parts about the lynching of Chinese and the hope of the generation that came after the Exclusion Acts were repealed. https://www.pbs.org/video/the-chinese-exclusion-act-eixnlw/
Thanks, I'll take a look at it. Always interesting to hear people say that Redlining doesn't exist anymore when Historic Chinatowns and other ethnic enclaves are the direct result of the government and lenders coralling minorities into designated areas. I think it's a constant choice for each generation of Americans to decide whether "making it" themselves is good enough for the country or making it better for others will lead to a greater nation. There's a hubris among the successful that we are owed by a higher mandate or that our parents sacrifices made us due. Hopefully knowing our collective history and struggles will allow everyone to be more forgiving of other groups and tribes.
The history is important not because we're owed something but that we owe it to those who came before us to appreciate our place in this country and the need to keep on working for that place. Too often I hear from Asians that our success is due to that we work hard and don't agitate. That ignores that historically it took a lot of agitation for us to get the opportunities that are available to us. The knowledge that Chinese were lynched and Japanese locked up is vital for knowing that Asians aren't just a model minority but that we had a lot of struggles.
The timing is interesting . . . considering that we are a people that are quick to say . .. . IT COULD NEVER HAPPEN HERE!!! or IT WILL NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN!!! or NOT ON MY WATCH!!! Meanwhile We have immigrant families being corralled and split and nearly 1500 babies that have gone missing (I say Trafficked) Rocket River
Not surprising this thread is getting no attention in a message board with a long and rich history of racism against Asians.
It went away because of WWII. Propaganda required the Chinese to be innocent and Japanese to be evil therefore this had to go away. I don't know how agitation is defined but here in Houston, Chinatown has a big crime problem and HPD is ignoring it and the business owners are lacking any motivation to speak out on it.
Whoever said not paying attention to this thread itself is racist? I said it's not surprising given the rampant racism on this board.
WWII marginally helped but that didn't really end the issues. People of Chinese origin were still banned from property ownership in most states until the 60s. Immigration and Naturalization for Chinese Americans were still virtually locked down until the 1965 overhaul of immigration law (unless you had ties to the KMT). The Cold War had a bigger impact because the US explicitly created laws to protect anti-communist Chinese refugees. Really any refugee that could be classified as anti-communist (regardless of origin) had a big leg up during that period. Racism and Eugenics were written into almost every immigration law until the overhaul in 1965. That was probably the biggest factor in changing how we perceive Asian Americans. Until then, our government was openly writing laws that basically codified racism.
Sorry but this is still the case. Indians represent the vast majority of H1b holders and mainland chinese are heavily advised to write a letter denouncing the communist party during any naturalization or permanent residency application. Most states? Do you have any info that ANY states were not forbidden of this practice after 1952? or that any state enforced this law after the 1940's? whatevs
Yup, can we browse the thread without thinking about racism first. I would suggest. History is history.
Watch the piece. The Exclusion acts were repealed because of WWII but several other violations of Chinese rights were stopped by Chinese taking on unjust laws, such as denying birth right citizenship, in the courts.
