Thai American Life in Los Angeles
Or, what the Wat Thai temple tussle in the San Fernando Valley teaches us about public space in America.
The Blu’s Hanging Controversy
Some have argued that the 1997 novel Blu's Hanging perpetuates East Asian racism against Filipinos while undermining criticism through violent sexuality.
The Tricky Sentimentality of Lan Cao’s Monkey Bridge
The Vietnamese American literary classic undermines the readers’ expectations of a redemptive narrative of immigration and memory.
The Asian American History of Silicon Valley Shopping Malls
Shopping centers in East San Jose that originally served working-class immigrants have been transformed by the influx of transnational tech professionals.
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.
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.
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.