Annotated Timeline: Asian Americans

By ShyLusco

  • First Asian Immigrants Arrive in the U.S.

    First Asian Immigrants Arrive in the U.S.
    Event Description: In 1785, the first recorded Asain immigrants and Filipino sailors settled in Louisiana.
    Date and Time: 1785
    Significance: Early Asian immigrants established communities and would continue to have more Asian immigrants travel to America.
    Key Players: Ashing, Achun, Accun, Filipino sailors, and Spanish colonists.

  • Chinese Immigration During the Gold Rush

    Chinese Immigration During the Gold Rush
    Event Description: Thousands of Chinese immigrants traveled to Califonia to partake in the fortune during the Gold Rush. 25,000 Chinese immigrants had traveled to America by 1849
    Date and Time: 1848-1855
    Significance: The significance of this event brought a major wave of Asian immigration to the United States and further created more Chinese communities, especially in the Bay Area around San Francisco.
    Key Players: Chinese laborers, California Settlers.

  • Angel Island Immigration Station

    Angel Island Immigration Station
    Event Description: Angel Island Immigration Station opened and became the main entry point for Asian immigrants to migrate onto the West Coast.
    Date and Time: Opened in 1910 and closed in 1940. Destroyed by a fire.
    Significance: The Angel Island Immigration Station was harsh and known for its long interrogations and long detaining mostly of Chinese immigrants.
    Key Players: U.S. Immigration Service, Chinese immigrants.

  • Internment of Japanese Americans

    Internment of Japanese Americans
    Event Description: Japanese Americans were forcibly relocated and incarcerated during WWII. Roosevelt issued Executive Order 9066 on February 19, 1942, and over 120,000 Japanese Americans were affected.
    Date and Time: 1942
    Significance: A negative time in U.S. history that demonstrated racial prejudice during WWII towards Asian Americans.
    Key Players: Japanese American families, U.S. Government.

  • McCarran-Walter Act

    McCarran-Walter Act
    Event Description: The McCarran-Walter Act ended the ban on Asian immigration and allowed Asians to become U.S. Citizens.
    Date and Time: June 27, 1952
    Significance: Important step in ending racial discrimination relating to immigration policies.
    Key Players: U.S. Congress, Asian Americans, Asians.

  • Dalip Singh Saund

    Dalip Singh Saund
    Event Description: Became the first Asian American to be elected to U.S. Congress.
    Date and Time: November 6, 1956
    Significance: An important event for political representation for Asian Americans in the United States.
    Key Players: Dalip Singh Saund, U.S. Congress.

  • Civil Rights Act of 1964

    Civil Rights Act of 1964
    Event Description: Ended discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.
    Date and Time: July 2, 1964
    Significance: Benefited Asian Americans by ending major racial discrimination.
    Key Players: U.S. Congress, Asian Americans, Lyndon B. Johnson, and Civil Rights activists.

  • Hmong Refugees Settle in the U.S.

    Hmong Refugees Settle in the U.S.
    Event Description: After the Vietnam War, many Hmong refugees who had helped left Laos and settled under American refugee programs.
    Date and time: 1970s-1980s
    Significance: Brought a new population of immigrants to states such as Minnesota, Wisconsin, and California.
    Key Players: Hmong Refugees

  • Vincent Chin Civil Rights Movement

    Vincent Chin Civil Rights Movement
    Event Description: Vincent Chin was a Chinese American who was beaten to death in a hate crime by white autoworkers during the deindustrialization of the Midwest. This event created another rise in protesting for civil rights.
    Date and Time: June 19, 1982
    Significance: Brought people together and showed there is still an issue of racism in America.
    Key Players: Vincent Chin, Ronald Ebens, Michael Nitz, advocacy groups.

  • COVID-19 Pandemic and Anti-Asian Hate

    COVID-19 Pandemic and Anti-Asian Hate
    Event Description: An increase in anti-Asian hate crimes that happened during the pandemic.
    Date and Time: 2020-present
    Significance: Brought people together to fight for civil rights and equality.
    Key Players: Protesters, Asian American people.

  • Sources

    Wallenfeldt, J. (2019, October 3). Angel Island Immigration Station. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Angel-Island-Immigration-Station
    Japanese-American Incarceration During World War II. National Archives. https://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/japanese-relocation.
    Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopaedia (2024, September 16). Dalip Singh Saund. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Dalip-Singh-Saund

  • Sources

    Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopaedia (2024, December 4). Civil Rights Act. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/event/Civil-Rights-Act-United-States-1964
    The Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952 (The McCarran-Walter Act). Office of The Historian. https://history.state.gov/milestones/1945-1952/immigration-act.

  • Sources

    Chinese American Song. Library of Congress. https://www.loc.gov/item/ihas.200197427/#:~:text=The%20Chinese%20were%20among%20the,gold%20in%20California%20in%201849.
    Searching for the Gold Mountain. Library of Congress. https://www.loc.gov/classroom-materials/immigration/chinese/searching-for-the-goldmountain/#:~:text=China%20was%20not%20immune%20to,%2C%20or%20%22gold%20mountain%22.

  • Sources

    Hmong American Center. Hmong History. https://www.hmongamericancenter.org/hmong-history/.
    Vincent Chin. National Park Service. https://www.nps.gov/people/vincent-chin.htm.
    Rogin, A. Nawaz, A. (2020, June 25). ‘We have been through this before.’ Why anti-Asian hate crimes are rising amid coronavirus. PBS. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/we-have-been-through-this-before-why-anti-asian-hate-crimes-are-rising-amid-coronavirus