ASIAN AMERICANS

Asian Americans = diverse collection of immigrant +

American born population groups

Hmong tribe

Chinese settled before Civil War

Principle of CONTINENTAL ORIGINS people with different religions, skin

colours, historical experiences put in one category.
In 1990 Asian Americans were 3% of the US Population and were the
nation`s fastest-growing minority

Early Asian Immigration

The first large group of Chinese came with the second-wave old immigrants. Some
settled in Hawai and the rest on the West Coast
Later, Japanese immigrated as well => the largest Asian immigrants group.
Then followed small groups of Koreans and East Indians.
Filipinos immigrated as well mostly in Hawai

Immigrants in Hawaii

They were workers on sugar plantations => back-breaking labour, military-style discipline,
abusive treatments. Plantation owners were dependent on these workers, thus they provided
food, housing and medical care for Asian immigrants. They helped women, encouraged family life,
supported religious and built schools and community centres.
Because they were the island`s workforce, the discrimination was milder than on mainland.

In 1930`s Asian Americans began to assume important

positions in Hawaian politics. Since 1959, Hawai has been
the only state in the US in which they represented the
state in Congress.

Senator Inouye of Hawaii

Daniel Akaka

Immigrants on the mainland

The situation was very different from the on in Hawaii. Immigrants were a minority compared to
European Americans => victims of discrimination=> Anti-Asian campaigns designed to
segregate Asian from Whites and prevent economic competition.
Anti-miscegenation laws [ to prevent racial mixing] forbade marriages between Asian and
Whites. Supreme Court determined them ineligible for citizenship.

Asian Americans fought these forms of oppression, started businesses,

formed union and protest organizations. They stood up for their rights
=> strikes, lawsuits.

World War II => social / economic improvements for Asian

Americans. War industries gave them professional and
skilled work. In 1950s discriminatory laws against Asian
Americans were repealed / struck down.

1965 => huge wave of Asian immigration. But is different: most of

them are well-educated professionals from urban areas / modern
industries. Now they are seen as the country`s most successful ethnic
groups, its model minority. => Academic achievement, low rates of
unemployment /crime / mental illness.

Asian Americans` success =>

resentment => wave of Anti-Asian
activity: racial slura, violent,
assaults, vandalism, harassment.