October 14, 2015
Asians are on track to become the fastest growing U.S. population by the next half-century. We look at the history of Asian immigration, past and present.
How the Vietnam War Shaped U.S. Immigration Policy
January 22, 2020
The makings of our modern resettlement system can be traced back to the fallout of the Vietnam War, a cascade of international crises stoked by the U.S.
The First Vietnamese in America
January 18, 2021
Before 1945, many Vietnamese migrants to the United States were laborers. One was Ho Chi Minh.
On Hyphens and Racial Indicators
August 14, 2019
The AP dropped hyphens from expressions of heritage such as "Asian American." Some scholars are asking, with or without hyphens, aren't we all "American"?
Hollywood’s Asian American Heroes
June 9, 2018
Asian American detectives played by actors Anna May Wong and Keye Luke had a minor but notable place in 1930s and 40s Hollywood.
The Filipino Novel That Reimagined Neocolonial Gender
June 19, 2019
Revisiting an essential Asian American work, beloved for its synthesis of neocolonialism, postmodernism, and central queer and female characters.
What Exactly is K-Pop, Anyway?
January 14, 2018
Since the late 90s, K-Pop has been one of South Korea's most important cultural exports. Fans have a deeply emotional attachment to the music.
Eddie Aikau: The Rad Life of a Hawaiian Surfing Legend
February 25, 2016
Eddie Aikau was a surfing legend during a time when Hawaiian legends were being resurrected. As a lifeguard, he attempted more than 500 daring rescues.
Chien-Shiung Wu, the First Lady of Physics
May 21, 2021
Chien-Shiung Wu disproved a fundamental law of physics—a stunning achievement that helped earn her male colleagues (but not her) a Nobel Prize.
1930s Filipinos Were Hip to American Style. There Was Backlash.
April 23, 2022
Filipinos, newly arrived to West Coast cities, displayed a mastery over American cultural life thanks to their knowledge of Hollywood films.
The “Model Minority” Myth and the Hidden Discrimination of Asian Americans
March 9, 2016
Identifying Asian Americans as a "model minority" often erases the continued discrimination faced by Asians in America.
The Lettuce Workers Strike of 1930
November 27, 2020
Uniting for better wages and working conditions, a remarkably diverse coalition of laborers faced off against agribusiness.
How Public Schools “Americanized” Hawai’i
February 3, 2020
Colonial education administrators recruited teachers from the mainland, but soon realized another strategy was in order.
Anti-Asian Racism in the 1817 Cholera Pandemic
April 20, 2020
We should learn from, instead of repeating, the racist assignations of the past.
Lessons From a Japanese Internment Camp
December 5, 2016
Trump ally Carl Higbie recently cited Japanese internment camps during World War II as a “precedent” for a proposed registry of Muslims in the U.S.
How the Chinese Fought Discrimination in 19th Century Arizona
January 5, 2016
Chinese immigrants in the American West faced legal discrimination and fought back against it using other laws.
The Cookbook That Brought Chinese Food to American Kitchens
November 5, 2017
The groundbreaking 1945 cookbook, How to Cook and Eat in Chinese, that introduced Chinese cooking to white American cooks.
July 23, 2017
When you eat Indian food, what are you really eating? Chicken tikka masala was originally created to appease the palates of the British during the Raj.
Have Chinese Restaurants Always Looked “Chinese”?
January 23, 2021
In some places, that red-and-gold flair might not fly.