Asian-American Immigration: History and Personal Narrative

Introduction and Background

This paper provides an overview of the life of an Asian-American set in historical context. Specifically, it correlates the life experiences of the interviewee, [Student], with the historical information Takaki (1998) and Kurashige and Murray (2002) discuss in their respective works. Through her hard work and dedication, [Student] is an ideal example of how many Asian-Americans first struggled after immigrating to the United States. However, [Student]'s story is also a story of victory — one that demonstrates just how far the Asian-American people have come since the late 1800s.

[Student]'s interview correlates with the historical records related to immigrants migrating to the United States during the 19th century. [Student] was born in December of 1953. Fortunately, her birth came at a time when many Americans had already begun to fight for civil liberties, although, as this paper will later show, the struggle for acceptance and civil liberty for Asian-Americans took considerable time to achieve. [Student] was born in the AnShan area of Liaoning Province, located in northeastern China. Her life, per her interview, was very "miserable" while living in China. She explained that during her youth, her family was economically poor and often went without milk, eggs, meat, and other basic staples. Much of this was the result of a dictatorial style of government that did little to protect or improve the lives of peasants and other people living in various regions within China (Takaki, 1998). Takaki (1998) and Kurashige and Murray (2002) note that one of the primary reasons many Chinese fled to America or to European countries was to escape the dictatorship and poverty-ridden conditions they faced. During the late 19th century, many Chinese people left the country seeking greater opportunities for growth, as well as acceptance and the right to live life as they saw fit (Takaki, 1998).

Flight from Communist China and Immigration to America

[Student] also noted that her flight from China occurred during Mao's communist reign. She considered him a dictator, and because of his rule, no one in the country could access the outside world — not even a small amount of information was permitted — leaving her to live in virtual seclusion. This correlates with the information Takaki (1998) and Kurashige and Murray (2002) provide. One of the other reasons so many fled to the United States when they could was to obtain freedom from the socialist parties they lived under and to claim a small piece of what they believed was the "golden egg" — the opportunity America had to offer. [Student] was no different from many other immigrants seeking to provide for her family and create a better life.

[Student] wanted to be an engineer, so she initially left China for West Germany in 1986. Around this time, many spoke of the United States as the one place where a person could realize economic freedom and fortune (Kurashige and Murray, 2002). After spending some time in Germany, [Student] moved to the United States in the fall of 1988. Her primary reason for coming to America was to live a better life and to experience firsthand what the country had to offer — something she had been unable to imagine due to the information blackout under China's dictatorship. [Student] initially concluded that life in the United States was far too difficult and had almost given up on the idea of ever gaining her freedom or being able to nurture and support her family. This changed, however, as [Student] and many other immigrants learned the English language and started families, helping them to realize their dreams of liberty and justice.

[Student] was able to come to the United States because her husband acquired a student visa. Upon arriving, she began studying the English language first, then enrolled at [University] as a graduate student. [Student] noted it was difficult to live in the United States because of the language barrier she initially faced — a common challenge that Takaki (1998) addresses at length. She was initially without a work permit or driver's license, so she and her husband were left largely to fend for themselves, with little help from anyone else. The couple originally worked seven days a week just to survive.

Historical Prejudice and the Asian-American Experience

The 19th century was a time when many immigrants — including the Chinese, Koreans, Japanese, and other people of Asian descent — were subjected to cruel treatment and ridicule. People mocked them partly because they looked different and partly because their customs seemed so foreign from those most Americans were accustomed to. This caused tremendous distress among the Asian-American population, many of whom had come to the United States hoping to feel welcomed and to take advantage of opportunities for a better life — opportunities an Asian-American rarely enjoyed during this period in American history (Takaki, 1998).

Takaki provides an illuminating portrait of what it may have been like to be a young white American during the 19th century as immigrants flooded the country. At the very start of his book, on page one, Takaki describes a character whose Asian-American neighbors "had names like Hamamoto, Kauhane, Wong and Camara" (Takaki, 1998, p. 1). The boy also speaks of how the accents used by the immigrants were very different and how the immigrant children were of "different color" than he was accustomed to seeing. Takaki provides a key insight right at the beginning that sets the stage for the rest of the work, quoting this young character: "I did not know why families representing such an array of nationalities from different shores were living together, sharing their cultures and a common language" (Takaki, 1998, p. 1).

The culture of 19th-century America was very different from Asian culture — a point highlighted throughout the text. The subject speaks of "pidgin English," described as a combination of English, Japanese, and Hawaiian common among many immigrants regardless of how long they had been in the country. Despite this boy's diverse upbringing and the fact that his family had lived in America for over three generations, classmates in college still referred to him as a foreigner. His comments also illustrate the Asian tradition of extended family living — grandparents and great-grandparents sharing a single home — something that differed greatly from mainstream white American culture. As with anything that differs from the majority, Asian-American immigrants and their customs were subject to intense scrutiny. Many had to struggle as minorities seeking opportunities in a country that was not yet prepared to fully offer them.

There was, during this period in history, very little discussion of "diversity," especially in schools — surprising given the sheer number of immigrants entering the country at the time. One would think the diversity of the immigrant experience represented the very foundation upon which the country was built, including as a safe haven for those fleeing totalitarian, authoritarian, or communist governments. Unfortunately, the attitudes of many white Americans at the time reflected disapproval rather than acceptance of the "melting pot" that was America. Takaki's work also reveals that Asian-Americans had lived in the United States for well over 150 years, yet significant prejudiced behavior toward them persisted for young and old alike.

Takaki provides a vivid picture of Asian-American culture, describing a diverse community that included Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Filipino, and Laotian people who "filled the streets with color" (Takaki, 1998, p. 4). Typically, however, they worked in lower-class jobs and in garment factories, where, as the author observes, "Chinese and Korean women hunch over whirling sewing machines, with their babies sleeping nearby" (Takaki, 1998, p. 4). Such an image is haunting by contemporary standards, given that the United States prides itself on diversity, liberty, and freedom for all. The segmentation of Asian-Americans during these early years is akin to a caste system, with prestigious positions and well-paying jobs during the 19th century effectively reserved for high- or middle-class white Americans.

[Student] confirmed much of this when she noted how difficult it was for her and her husband to earn respect until he received a job offer in New York. [Student] recalled living with her husband in a room no larger than a balcony, in an apartment shared with many other Taiwanese people. This correlates with Takaki's account of the Asian-American experience during the 19th century. [Student] noted that she remained largely segregated after first arriving in the United States because of her limited English; she was more comfortable spending time with other Asians and Chinese students when she later attended school.

[Student] also noted that she lived in that small apartment for only a year, after which she moved upstate when her husband received an admission offer from [University]. She and her husband then left the familiar Chinese community for a neighborhood dominated primarily by white Americans.