Asian American Experience Setting the Historical and Cultural Context

A Look into Japanese American Experience in the United States

Early history Japanese nationals were prohibited by their government to emmigrate to US until 1885 US sought to include Japanese in the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 and 1890 US perceived Japan as a Pacific threat when Japan defeated Russia in the Russo-Japanese War Gentlemen’s Agreement 1908 Stipulated how many Japanese would be allowed to immigrate to US Prohibited unskilled laborers from coming to US

Life in the United States Faced discrimination in employment Unions excluded them Barred from holding professional positions Faced discrimination in education Segregated from white students (1906) Faced discrimination economically Legislature to restrict their economic power Alien Land Act 1913: cannot own land 1920: legislation prohibited them from leasing farmland

Immigration Laws Japanese immigrants were prevented by law from becoming naturalized American citizens Cites 1790 law that restricted citizenship only to whites Immigration Act of 1924 Allowed only those immigrants racially eligible for citizenship to enter the country. Act cut off immigration from Japan First wave of immigration 1885-1097 Primarily unmarried, unskills wokers After 1907, immigrants primarily skilled workers Gap in age and culture developed Issei (first generation immigrants, born in Japan) Nisei (second generation, born in the United States)

Life in the United States “Doesn’t my citizenship mean a single blessed thing to anyone? Monica Sone Nisei Daughter 1941: World War II Forced resettlement: Internment Leave homes, businesses and move to camps National security Japanese nationals American citizens of Japanese ancestry

World War II Internment

Life in Internment camp

Map of Internment camps

Life in Internment camps

Welcome to the United States The Chinese Experience

Promise of Gold Mountain “Return to the old country quickly to avoid going astray” “I’ve risked a perilous journey to come to the Flowery Flag nation. Immigration officers interrogated me: “I am deported, an imprisoned in this barren mountain” “Deported to this island, like a convicted criminal. Like animals, tortured and destroyed at others’ whim.

Early Chinese Immigration “Golden Mountain”: Promise Land Violated Chinese tradition Confucian doctrine: “Man must value family above all else and should not leave” Promise of Gold Mountain—California (America) Escape from poverty of China (famine; war; taxes) Improve social position at home (return a rich man) Promise was illusory Victims of prejudice treated like criminals

The Chinese Immigrant 1849-1870: Chinese first arrivals in US Most came from Kwangtung, China’s south coast (port city) 1851-1860: est. 40,000 immigrants Most young males immigrated (90%) Left families behind Return to China in a few year with prosperity Immigrants worked at jobs inland Contract workers (repay passage) Most stayed West to work the gold mines Laundry cooking

Arriving at Angel Island

Life in America Subjected to unfair legislation State of California levied taxes upon the income of the Chinese worker Exclusionary legislation was passed on the local, state, and federal levels. American policy prohibited female immigration 1875- 1882 Schools were ordered to be racially segregated California prohibited Asians from obtaining business licenses or owning real estate Scott Act 1888: prohibited Chinese laborers from entering the country ; prohibited re-admittance from China

The Chinese Exclusion Act 1882-1943 Violation of the Burlingame Treaty of 1868 Employment rights Immigration rights Chinese nationals who attempted to enter the United States legally were routinely detained for questioning After 1910, they were held at Angel Island Examined and questioned about status Decision: admittance or deportation Process took months

In Support of Exclusion Act

Arguments for Exclusion Act 1880: 105,465 Chinese White racists alarmed with number Began movement to keep them out Claimed they could not be assimilated Competed unfairly in labor Inherited hostility from blacks Transferred perceptions of inferiority to Chinese Anti-Chinese riots

Life at Angel Island

Angel Island—Ellis Island of the West Process took months Invasive health exams; long interrogations Separated by gender Allowed no visitors Facility declared “uninhabitable” in 1920 Remained in operation until 1943 Repeal of the Chinese Exclusion Act in 1943 was a part of the United States’ attempt to improve its strategic position as US enters World War II against Japan. 1945 immigration laws allowed only 100 per year 1949, 1960s-70s; 1989 movements that lead to increased Chinese immigration

Maxine Hong Kingston Born in America Chinese was her first language Began English writing at age 10 Chinese name of “Ting Ting” Native to California

Kingston’s Noted Works China Men Tripmaster Monkey The Fifth book of Peace The Woman Warrior: Memoirs of Girlhood Among Ghosts Memoir: first person nonfiction narrative that recounts historical/personal significant events in which the writer was a participant or an eye witness Breaks from the mold and tells this in 3rd person Blend of folklore, myth, feminism, and autobiography

Title of novel: meanings? Woman: connotations? Warrior: connotations? Background: connotations?

Point of View Bicultural identity First person vs. Third Person Value of each? Why choose third for a memoir? It is pretty consistent, but not as plausible since there are times that the daughter expresses ideas from the mother’s head—the mother could have expressed these at some point, but it fictionalizes the memoir to an extent. The story itself would have changed entirely if it had been told in first person. Changing the point of view would change the focus because it would require more focus on the self

Themes Silence (cultural silence) Power of women (models of womanhood; ancestral help) Memory infuses identity in present (person you become comes from past) Choices (to be silent or to have talk story)