The Chinese in America A Narrative History

In an epic story that spans 150 years and continues to the present day, Iris Chang tells of a people’s search for a better life—the determination of the Chinese to forge an identity and a destiny in a strange land and, often against great obstacles, to find success. She chronicles the many accomplishments in America of Chinese immigrants and their descendents: building the infrastructure of their adopted country, fighting racist and exclusionary laws, walking the racial tightrope between black and white, contributing to major scientific and technological advances, expanding the literary canon, and influencing the way we think about racial and ethnic groups. Interweaving political, social, economic, and cultural history, as well as the stories of individuals, Chang offers a bracing view not only of what it means to be Chinese American, but also of what it is to be American.

Iris Chang-'s numerous honors include the John T. and Catherine D. MacArthur Foundation-'s Program on Peace and International Cooperation Award. Her work has appeared in many publications, including the New York Times, Newsweek, and Los Angeles Times.

Introduction vii

The Old Country: Imperial China in the Nineteenth Century 1
America: A New Hope 20
"Never Fear, and You Will Be Lucky": Journey and Arrival in San Francisco 29
Gold Rushers on Gold Mountain 38
Building the Transcontinental Railroad 53
Life on the Western Frontier 65
Spreading Across America 93
Rumblings of Hatred 116
The Chinese Exclusion Act 130
Work and Survival in the Twentieth Century 157
A New Generation is Born 173
Chinese America During the Great Depression 199
"The Most Important Historical Event of Our Times": World War II 215
"A Mass Inquisition": The Cold War, the Chinese Civil War, and McCarthyism 236
New Arrivals, New Lives: The Chaotic 1960s 261
The Taiwanese Americans 283
The Bamboo Curtain Rises: Mainlanders and Model Minorities 312
Decade of Fear: The 1990s 334
High Tech vs. Low Tech 348
A Uncertain Future 389

Notes   405
Acknowledgements   477
Index   481

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The Chinese in America A Narrative History

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