#asianamericanhistory

[wongliutsong]

The Anna May Wong Top Hat photos taken by photographer Carl Van Vechten 📷 #annamaywong #annamaywongtribute #annamaywongfan #annamaywong💎 #annamaywongactress #annamaywongforever #annamaewongfans #annamaywong✨ #annamaywongpic #annamaywongstyle #annamaywongrealness #annamaewong #chineseamericanactress #chineseamerican #asianamericanactors #screengoddess #asianamericanhistory #oldhollywood #classichollywood #黃柳霜 #wongliutsong #oldhollywoodglam #oldmovies #turnerclassicmovies #tcm #classicactress #goldenageofhollywood #carlvanvechten #vintagephotos https://www.instagram.com/p/CqCahhSsDE-/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[windycitylibrarian]

Manzanar is a stark reminder that anti-Asian racism is not new or limited to individuals. #Manzanar #NationalParkWeek #NationalPark #California #Desert #NationalParksPartnership #Cemetery #InternmentCamp #AmericanHistory #AsianAmericanHistory @nationalparkservice @nationalparkgeek https://www.instagram.com/p/CN2UWMNliNq/?igshid=5itdlbkbzjdy

[thememorium]

The Origins of Black Chinese Heritage in the Caribbean

Phyllis Chan

Above: Mary Ellis and William Chan Kwok-Fei with their children. Date unknown.

Following the abolition of slavery across the British colonies in 1834, the focus of the white planters (unsurprisingly) turned immediately towards procuring an alternative source of cheap labour. With its swelling population and widespread economic depression, China was already a focus for western powers due to its vast economic potential. At the same time gunboats were bombarding the coast in the Second Opium War, the first recorded ships carrying Chinese ‘indentured labourers’ to Jamaica landed in 1854. Most were from the region surrounding Canton, which before the Chinese economy was ‘opened up’ was the entrepot of the world, the destination of everything from Peruvian silver and Indian opium.

Despite Canton’s untold riches, these labourers were poor and illiterate, many belonging to the ‘Hakka’ people. ‘Hakka’ in Cantonese translates roughly to ‘guest people’, and refers to both the community and their language. Sometime in the middle ages the Hakka migrated to Southern China and were not well received. Forced by the locals onto lands with poor soil and irrigation, they remained largely poor into the nineteenth century, and took advantage of schemes to find work – even if it was in faraway countries they had never heard of.

While the labourers officially signed contracts, their illiteracy and laxity on the part of the government meant the wages and conditions they were promised rarely came through. They were bound to the planters’ estates. The language barrier between them and the local population was key for the colonial strategy of ‘divide and rule’. Orientalist discourse at the time meant multiple myths spread about the Chinese and their otherness; their paganism, their dietary habits, their supposed shrewdness. It was difficult, and near impossible for the Chinese to escape the labour system before their contract had ended.  

However, the labourers soon formed benevolent associations that organised almshouses and services. More Chinese entered Jamaica outside of the male-exclusive labour system, which was outlawed in 1917. Many set up general stores, as was common in the United States before the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1884. And while many returned to China to marry, a sizable population settled down and married black Jamaicans. Unfortunately, racial stigma and religious differences meant that sometimes these unions did not last. Polygamy, practiced widely in China, was a notable barrier. Nell Lowe, the child of Samuel Lowe and Albertha Campbell, was raised solely by her mother because of such a disagreement. She would never know her father, who returned to China and was buried there in his home village.  

Racial division and unrest in the 1930s and again in the 1970s meant many Chinese either returned home, or, after the Civil War in 1949, emigrated to the United States or Canada. However, still some remained with their Jamaican families, assimilating into the local population and adopting patois as their mother tongue, rather than Hakka.

With racial nationalism raising its ugly ahead again today, it does well to remember the disconnect between race and nation and the rich multiculturalism that lies beyond our perceptions. #asiansforblacklives has found a number of organisations tearing down the ‘model minority’ myth and its use in demonizing black and brown communities have further re-conceptualized the connection between diasporic black and Asian communities, noting common experiences of labour exploitation and racial violence. Elsewhere, Chinese Jamaicans such as Christina Chang of the Jamaican National Football Team stand alongside tennis powerhouse Naomi Osaka and former Miss Japan Ariana Miyamoto in amplifying the visibility of black and Asian mixed-race people on the world stage.

Image: blackwomenasianmen.tumblr.com

[18mr]

The International Hotel in San Francisco's Manilatown was home to 150 low-income Filipinx and Chinese American elders. In 1968, real estate developers had plans to tear down the I-Hotel and displace its residents. This kicked off a 9-year-long grassroots fight against eviction. The I-Hotel's empty storefronts were occupied by important cultural centers like Chinese Progressive Association and the Asian Community Center. As the struggle gained momentum, protests were joined by Black, Latinx, LGBTQ, and student activists, and members of religious communities.

The fight ended on August 4, 1977 in a 3 am eviction raid with hundreds of riot police. 3,000 activists formed a human barricade to protect the residents' home but were violently cleared away by police.

The outcry over the I-Hotel led to a legacy of Asian American and housing activism. A new I-Hotel was opened in 2005 and continues to house low-income elders.

[kristinewheeler]

Water Dragon that watches over Marysville,CA. #bokkaitemplemuseum #asianamericanhistory #iphonography #snapseed (at Bok Kai Temple Museum) https://www.instagram.com/p/Ca5XPKZPMqo8uEGVvIvQb5ldcJiH0IxMvAB70U0/?utm_medium=tumblr

[coachkai]

I think I first met him on the intersection of 9th and Stuyvesant in the neighborhood of St Marks, Manhattan at a @chinatownrunners event on May 27, 2021. I asked him to join @runforchinatown for a Monday Night Community Run sometime and he showed up the following Monday (May 31, 2021 - our fourth group run ever). This past Monday, my friends and I ran around a city block for 10 hours and he was there with us supporting and documenting the entire day. My friend, like I said on our train ride home, there are absolutely no words to say how grateful we are for you. Because of you, more people in this world will read #ChristinaYunaLee ‘s story, speak up on #StopAsianHate , study #AsianAmericanHistory and take action like reaching our to our elected officials to prevent it from ever happening again. I was happy to introduce you to the community Monday but struggle with your title, but I think we came up with a good one here. All raw videos and moments here captured by The Photojournalist of Meaningful Things, @garydeanclarke ❤️ _ #garydeanclarke #nycphotojournalist #notyourmodelminority #runforchinatown #nycrunning (at Chinatown) https://www.instagram.com/p/CaZ-iBQrL7c/?utm_medium=tumblr

[miscellaneousbrown]

For Asian Pacific American History month, we made a Quarantine Music video. Filmed and edited during quarantine, here’s a re-imagined snippet based on the short story of Carlos Bulosan, written by Lonnie Carter, Knowa Lazarus and Charles Uy, choreographed by Jasmine Joy Rafael, music produced by Flava Matikz of Q-York, with an international cast that hopefully captures the style and energy of the Manongs. They were the essential workers of their time helping feed America throughout the Great Depression. They faced hardships, along with racism, as they became scapegoats amongst other Asians during those tough economic times. Watch the Award winning play that inspired it all. Ma-Yi’s Manila version of THE ROMANCE OF MAGNO RUBIO will be streaming for free for a limited time starting May 25. And don’t forget to click the donate button to help support Ma-Yi Theatre so they can continue to remind us of our dreams and inspire the future generations to come. http://ma-yitheatre.org/shows/magnorubio/ THE MANONGS Alan Ariano Danny Bernardo Eymard Cabling Ceaser Cipriano Erick Esteben Flava Matiikz Knowa Lazarus Mike Palma Kevin Predido AJ Rafael John John Martin Tarrayo Rodney To Reuben Uy TAXI HALL DANCERS Anthea Neri Best Veronica Cabling Nassim Khaligh Jasmine Joy Rafael Tyler Kenneth Stafford Minverva Benedicto Vier Bree Wernecke #asianamericanhistory #littlemanila #FilipinoAmericanHistory #aapihistorymonth #racismisavirus #magno #magnorubio #magnosmanongs #manongs #aapi2020 (at Quarantine) https://www.instagram.com/p/CAi3VEdp8pC/?igshid=1w6xar1ucu7av

[homebizhero]

Cant Fool Me!🙅‍♂️ #americanhistory #america #murica #nativeamericanhistory #asianamericanhistory #blackhistory https://www.instagram.com/p/B59I8fkpk48/?igshid=1wg9t1cfpplbr

[sonsandbrothers]

Yesterday we celebrated what would have been Vincent Chin's 62nd birthday. He was a 27 year-old Chinese-American man raised in Detroit, Michigan who was severely beaten to death with a bat by two white autoworkers, Ronald Ebens and Michael Nitz, who thought Chin was Japanese. During that time, many Americans blamed Japanese folks for the ailing U.S. auto industry. He was murdered a week before his wedding on June 19, 1982.

This heartbreaking incident became a catalyst that sparked the first pan-ethnic Asian American civil rights movement. #VincentChin #AAPI #ActToChange

[wongliutsong]

Hey AMW family, just checking in… You may have heard of the storm (bomb cyclone) that hit California. I’m located in the San Francisco Bay Area. I am okay and so are my family & friends. More storms are coming our way; please keep Californians in your thoughts. If you contact me & you don’t heard back from me within a reasonable amount of time, it’s very likely my power went out. Don’t fret when that happens; I’ll back to you as soon as I can. Please stay safe everyone! 🙏🏼 1st photo: upscaled version 2nd photo: the original .⁣ .⁣ .⁣ .⁣ .⁣ #oldhollywood #classicactress #annamaywongactress #annamaywongtribute #黄柳霜 #annamaywongforever #oldcinema #oldmovies #silverscreen #asianamericanactress #annamaywonglives #oldhollywoodglam #oldhollywoodactress #annamaywong✨ #oldhollywoodstars #classicmovies #asianamericanhistory #annamaywongfeature #goldenageofhollywood #annamaywongfans #oldhollywoodglamour #annamaywongrealness #annamaywong #asianexcellence #oldhollywoodmovies #goldenera #annamaywongstyle #annamaywonginspired #annamaewong 💎 #oldhollywoodstyle https://www.instagram.com/p/CnDmtWauWSk/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[friendofhayley]

If anyone is wondering why I'm a hermit this weekend. #researchpaper #asianamericanhistory #asianmalestars #universityoftexas #junioryear (at Austin, Texas)

[murayamagrooves-blog]

Jamuary No.6 - Then Came the War, 1991 speech by #yurikochiyama Her speech was a reflection of Japanese Internment. Patriotism is a funny thing "Historically, Americans have always been putting people behind walls. First there were the American Indians who were put on reservations, Africans in slavery, their lives on the plantations, Chicanos doing migratory work, and the kinds of camps they lived in, and even too, the Chinese when they worked on the railroad camps where they were almost isolated, dispossessed people—disempowered.." . . . . . #synthesizer #synth #teenageengineering #po32 #po33 #littlebigsynths #lofi #electronicmusic #pocketoperator #catsonsynthesizersinspace #synthesizers #welcometospacelounge #beatmaking #jamuary2019 #jamuary #sample #beats #gearhead #asianamericanhistory (at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) https://www.instagram.com/p/BsUD-ZsjbV-/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=14ibytvp5g1yh

[damescarletaznable]

Thank you for your service, Uncle Ed! Hi Friends and Followers - this is my Uncle Ed. He fought alongside allies in World War 2 and in Korea. He’s the reason why I haven’t given up on going forward with historical costuming and impressions. When I got into pinup and WW2 communities , a lot of people think that POC’s were not a part of history. My Uncle Ed is proof of that. He saved his (all white) platoon from an enemy gunner earning him a silver star. It’s because of my Uncle Ed’s memory I’ve continued to attend and dress up for WW2 events in uniform. I know I’ve been discriminated against and given the stink eye too many a time at these events because of the color of my skin, shape of my eyes, etc. I’d like to remind people that my Uncle Ed saved white butts from the enemy. #representationmatters #filipinx #filipinxamerican #ww2 #filipinxhistory #asianamerican #asianamericanhistory #veteransday #koreanwar #worldwar2 https://www.instagram.com/afelineofspectre/p/BqDGn4CgI2b/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=98ju700b49mt

[dominicgomezart]

Asian immigrants brought pieces of culture from their native lands to Washington state, where they melded them with pieces taken from American culture. Immigrants did not remain unchanged or melt into a common society, however. Instead, Washington is a mosaic made of different peoples coming together to create new lives in a new land. (“Asian Americans in Washington State” by Matthew W. Klingle, Center for the Study of the Pacific Northwest, University of Washington Department of History) #illustration #asianamerican #immigration #asianamericanhistory (at Seattle, Washington)

[kristinewheeler]

Beauty in the details😍 #bokkaitemple #marysvilleca #iphonography #snapseed #asianamericanhistory (at Bok Kai Temple Museum) https://www.instagram.com/p/Ca5Vzswvo7OFZg8CkVtUdCO7muI90ZvuEcNuog0/?utm_medium=tumblr