Asian Americans: Now and Then: Rise of Asian Americans
Rise of Asian Americans
Who is an Asian American?
Who is an Asian American or Asian Pacific American? According to the Census Bureau, it is any American born in Asia or on a Pacific Island or descended from a person who was. According to the Census Bureau, these were 17 different Asian race and ethnic categories used in the 2000 Census : Asian Indian; Bangladeshi; Cambodian; Chinese, except Taiwanese; Filipino; Hmong; Indonesian; Japanese; Korean; Laotian; Malaysian; Pakistani; Sri Lankan; Taiwanese; Thai; Vietnamese; Other Asian.
Asian Americans were among America's earliest settlers and have long been part of its history. Large-scale Chinese immigration began with the Gold Rush in 1849. For more than three decades, their labor contributed to the rapid economic development of the new nation. Between 1849-1880, over 200,000 Chinese entered America. The gold they mined filled the Treasury, and without their muscle, the transcontinental railroad that tied the country together and created a national economy would have been delayed for years. They tilled the soil and fed the settlers streaming West. However, when the economy faltered, the Chinese, despite being pioneer settlers, became victims of prejudice and persecution. They became the focus of an "anti-coolie movement", comprising white unionists. Immigration measures were passed in 1882 to prevent further migration from China. For more information, consult Ellis Cashmore's Dictionary of Race and Ethnic Relations.
2010 Census Shows Asians are the Fastest Growing Race Group
Asian Americans : demographic profiles from the 2010 Census - population by ethnicity, geographic distribution, education, incomes and more...
- Demographic Characteristics and Patterns--analysis and comparisonEasy to read tables for comparison and analysis.
An Interpretation of the 2010 Census Data on Asian Immigrants.
Pew Research Center on the Rise of Asian Americans
Interactives/graphics/ reports/ video panel discussion on the social and demographic trends of today's Asian Americans ; exploring their history, identity, political and social attitudes towards discrimination, religious views, etc. Links to the major Asian American groups by ethnicity.
Pew Research panel discussion on Asian Americans.
Elaine Chao, former US Secretary of Labor (2001-2009) and other distinguished administrative leaders share their thoughts on their partaking in America's political and social community life. Discussion weighs on the traditional attributes of the Asian American community and the challenges it faces.
The Asian American Success
Exploring the drive behind the success of Asian Americans, and how they share with American Jews the distinction and burden of immigrant succes.
- WSJ Video Interview : The Growing Influence of Asian AmericansWSJ's Stu Woo interviews Lee Siegel, author of the essay, Rise of the Tiger Nation.
- Asian Immigrant Experience Defies Easy Comparisons (reader response)Reader response to WSJ's online interview on comparisons between Asian Americans and American Jews.
- Asian Americans and the "model minority" mythLA Times essay by Ellen D Wu (1/23/2014)
- Viet Thanh NguyenA New York Time Op-Ed columnist who writes on Immigration, Refugees, Politics, culture and South East Asia.