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A TRAUMA-INFORMED EXPLORATION of ASIAN AMERICAN HISTORY
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
"Asian Americans have represented the polar extremes of the American experience. The most downtrodden and discriminated against, to rising to positions of power and privilege. To being singled out for exclusion, to being explicitly welcomed and included and held up as the very best of America.”
— PBS Series, Asian Americans
The United States has long been hailed as the country of land and opportunity—for the American Dream. This has ushered waves of immigration from the Asia/Pacific Islands region; today, Asian American older adults comprise the fastest growing racial/ethnic group in the United States. Yet, they are one of the most understudied populations in the country. By shining light on the history of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, we can trace how they have stood in the face of generational trauma and stress, as well as the effects of racism and xenophobia.
Photographed by centinel on August 27, 2005. (CC BY-ND 2.0)
California State Senator Ted Lieu, a Taiwanese American. Photographed by Mark Mauno on May 17, 2014. (CC BY 2.0)
Featured Museums and Immigration Stories
National Indo-American Museum
The National Indo-American Museum builds bridges across generations and connects cultures through the diverse, colorful stories of all Indian Americans.
Source: https://www.niam.org/
TIMELINE OF EVENTS
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CLICK ON AN EVENT ABOVE TO LEARN MORE...
Chinese Americans and the Transcontinental Railroad
1863-69
When the Central Pacific struggled to find railroad workers, they turned to the Chinese-American community. This great accomplishment could not have been completed without them—yet their contributions have been largely erasedand exacerbated existing prejudice. Learn more about the Chinese Americans and the Transcontinental Railroad.
US v Bhagat Singh Thind
1923
"Obstacles in front of me and obstacles behind me," Bhagat Singh Thind said. Despite having a certificate of naturalization granted by the U.S. District Court, the U.S. Supreme Court later ruled that he was not white and revoked his citizenship. Learn more about United States v Bhagat Singh Thind.
Post-9/11 Violence Against Punjabi and Muslim Americans
2001
In the immediate aftermath of 9/11, in which nineteen terrorists from al-Qaeda hijacked four commercial passenger planes in a coordinated suicide attack, hate and discrimination against Muslims in the United States spiked like never before. Learn more about the post-9/11 violence against Punjabi and Muslim Americans.
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