Tracing the long genealogy of anti-Asian violence and resistance
From 19th-century labor strikes to modern-day hate crimes, this video explores how waves of systemic bigotry against Asian Americans have been met with community solidarity and a persistent fight for justice.
The video features Yoonj Kim and Lisa Sasaki, who connect historical legislative exclusion to the contemporary epidemic of discrimination. They examine a lineage of violence and scapegoating that includes the 1871 Chinese massacre in Los Angeles and the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act—the only U.S. law to suspend immigration for a specific nationality.
It further explores how race and gender were codified in the 1875 Page Exclusion Act and details later tragedies, such as the internment of approximately 120,000 Japanese Americans during World War II and the 1982 killing of Vincent Chin. By linking these historical moments to recent events, like the Atlanta shootings, the discussion highlights a recurring pattern of xenophobia during periods of national duress.
Source: How Bigotry in Business was met by Asian-American Solidarity
