The Chinese Exclusion Act: Annotated
The passing of the Chinese Exclusion Act in 1882 marked the first time the United States prohibited immigration based on ethnicity and national origin.
Celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
Our best stories about the vast histories and cultures of Americans with ancestry in Asia and the Pacific.
1930s Filipinos Were Hip to American Style. There Was Backlash.
Filipinos, newly arrived to West Coast cities, displayed a mastery over American cultural life thanks to their knowledge of Hollywood films.
Out of Black Liberation, Asian American Jazz
Inspired by Black artistic and political movements, musicians from diverse communities began expressing pan-Asian cultural belonging and freedom.
Playing Girls’ Basketball in 1930s Chinatown
Chinese American girls played an innovative style of basketball on the playgrounds of San Francisco, and dominated the court.
Hollywood’s Asian American Heroes
Asian American detectives played by actors Anna May Wong and Keye Luke had a minor but notable place in 1930s and 40s Hollywood.
The 1917 Immigration Act That Presaged Trump’s Muslim Ban
Prohibitive laws like the 1917 Immigration Act barred many Asians from entering America. Cultural fears still determine who "deserves" to migrate.
The “Model Minority” Myth and the Hidden Discrimination of Asian Americans
Identifying Asian Americans as a "model minority" often erases the continued discrimination faced by Asians in America.
How the Chinese Fought Discrimination in 19th Century Arizona
Chinese immigrants in the American West faced legal discrimination and fought back against it using other laws.
The Making of Asian America
Asians are on track to become the fastest growing U.S. population by the next half-century. We look at the history of Asian immigration, past and present.