Immigration from Asia Throughout History

Introduction

These resources explore the various Asian immigration waves throughout American history from different Asian countries, factors for migration, legal challenges to immigration and citizenship, and how these populations affected the U.S. (Quota systems that limited entry to family, skilled or highly educated Asian Americans resulting in “model minority” stereotype versus refugee resettlement experience from U.S. Cold War efforts in Indochina (e.g. Laos and Vietnam)).

First Asian Americans
Asian American Education Project: Lesson: Activity 2: Defining “Immigrant” in Redefine American Unit
Asian American Education Project: Lesson: Activity 3: Redefine “American” and the “American Dream” in Redefine American Unit
PBS: Video Excerpt and Resources: “Early South Asian Immigration” in Episode 1 including excerpt from Asian Americans

For more information about Bengali Harlem:
Book: Bengali Harlem and the Lost Histories of South Asian America (2015) by Vivek Bald
WNYC: Interview with Vivek Bald: “Bengali Harlem”