Discrimation Against Chinese Americans
Many Chinese people immigrated to the United States, specifically California, during the Gold Rush in 1848-1855. Many stayed, and more joined, as laborers for railroad and other infrastructure projects in the ensuing decades. The work of the railroads was grueling, low-paying, and dangerous, and since railroad companies could not find enough white workers to do the job, they utilized a growing base of Chinese immigrant labor. At one point in the 1860s, Chinese workers made up 90% of the Central Pacific Railroad workforce .
“Recovering an Erased History: The Chinese Railroad Workers Who Helped Connect the Country.” NBCNews.com. NBCUniversal News Group. Accessed August 17, 2022. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/recovering-erased-history-chinese-railroad-workers-who-helped-connect-country-n991136.
Unfortunately, there was growing resentment and hostility toward all Chinese immigrants, even as their labor benefited the people of California. Chinese people faced discrimination, violence, and eventually legislation that prevented them from immigrating to America.
The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882
The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 was a law prohibiting Chinese laborers from immigrating to the United States for 10 years. It is significant because it was the only U.S. ever law implemented to prevent all members of a specific group from coming to the United States. The law lasted until 1943, even though it was only supposed to last 10 years.
Article XIX, California Constitution of 1879
In the state of California, leading up to the federal Chinese Exclusion Act, Chinese Americans faced specific discriminatory legislation in Article XIX of the Constitution of the State of California, adopted and ratified in 1879. The title of Article XIX is simply, "Chinese", and included four sections outlining the limitations on Chinese people in California. Excerpts from these four sections are below.
Section 1: "The Legislature shall prescribe all necessary regulations for the protection of the State... from the burdens and evils arising from the presence of aliens who are or may become vagrants... and from aliens otherwise dangerous..."
Section 2: "No corporation now existing or hereafter formed under the laws of this State, shall, after the adoption of this Constitution, employ directly or indirectly, in any capacity, any Chinese or Mongolian."
Section 3: "No Chinese shall be employed on any State, county, municipal, or other public work, expect in punishment for crime."
Section 4: "Asiatic coolieism is a form of human slavery, and is forever prohibited in this State"
These excerpts from the Constitution of the State of California in 1879 are evidence of the oppression, marginalization, and specific targeting of Chinese people in California. This made it harder, but not impossible, for Chinese people like my ancestor Jung San Choy to set roots in the United States and build stable livelihoods and communities.