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1850's Asian Immigration
The first major wave of Asians start immigrating into America, about 25,000 Chinese miners move to the western side of the country. Looking to become rich during the gold rush, took on high risk, low paying jobs building railroads. This would be a pivotal moment in Asian American history, paving the way for many more Asians to follow in their footsteps. -
Chinese Exclusion Act
An act passed by congress banning any Chinese Workers from entering America. Any Chinese American were to be denied American Citizenship. This became one of the first legal acts of discrimination against Asian Americans that would eventually lead to educational restrictions. -
Tape vs Hurley
The Supreme Court ruled there must be access to public education for “all children”. This occurred after the San Francisco Board of Education denied Tape due to her race. Mamie Tape was an American Citizen with two Chinese Immigrant Parents. -
Gong Lum vs Rice
After Gong Lum, a Chinese-American citizen was barred from Rosedale consolidated high school on the premise that she is not white, it was brought up to Supreme Court. The ruling was that "Separate schools shall be maintained for children of the white and colored races." This became a pivotal moment for segregation against Asian Americans in the education system. -
Japanese American Internment and Education
Shortly after Pearl Harbor, Franklin D. Roosevelt incarcerated over 120,000 Japanese Americans to concentration camps. Education was severely lacking in these camps, with most schools being only partially built, and lessons dismissing important educational pillars to overemphasize loyalty and nationalism. This negatively affected the quality of education Asian Americans received for around 4 years. -
Brown vs Board of Education
A decision in the Brown v. Board of Education case declared the “separate but equal” doctrine unconstitutional. This started the integration of public schools throughout America and paved way for the modern education that Asian Americans receive. -
Immigration and Nationality Act
This law eliminated restrictive immigration quotas that had been in place since the 1920s, which heavily favored European immigrants while limiting Asian immigration. The Immigration and Nationality Act would serve as a new opportunity for Asians to Immigrate to America, work, and receive their education. -
Lau vs Nicols
A landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision ruled that non-English-speaking students (primarily Chinese American students in San Francisco) were entitled to language support in public schools under the Civil Rights Act. This still has a major impact on the modern education system and allows for non-english speaking Asian Americans to receive the assistance they need in schools. -
Plyler vs Doe
A Supreme Court hearing out of Texas that ruled all undocumented children to be entitled to a public education. States could no longer deny them access to school. This is another major hearing that helped to form our modern education system. Still implemented today, the Plyer vs Doe ruling allows for all Asian Americans, documented or not, the right to receive their education. -
Supreme Court Ruling on Affirmative Action
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled against race-based affirmative action in college admissions, significantly impacting how Asian American students are considered in elite university admissions. -