Watch our first-ever animated video series!
This series captures key eras in Asian American history through the stories of five immigrant trailblazers. It was brainstormed, researched, and produced by a talented team of high school volunteers.
Check out the videos below!
Check out the videos below!
Wong Chin Foo
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Wong Chin Foo was one of the first naturalized Chinese immigrants in the US during a time when anti-Chinese sentiment was on the rise. He spent the next twenty years advocating for Chinese Americans’ equal rights and fighting the passage of the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act and 1892 Geary Act, which extended the 1882 Act until it eventually became permanent. He defended the Chinese American community against racism and false accusations and testified before Congress in support of citizenship rights. Wong is considered the “first Chinese American" who forged a path to a new identity. Edit: The video incorrectly states that Wong became a U.S. citizen in 1869. That did not happen until 1874. |
Patsy Mink
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A third-generation Japanese American born in Hawaii, Patsy Mink lived through the attack on Pearl Harbor and the resulting backlash against Japanese Americans. She eventually became the first Asian American woman to serve in the House of Representatives, using her platform to advocate for gender and racial equality. The legislation spearheaded by Mink, including Title IX and the Women’s Educational Equity Act, permanently changed the landscape for women’s education in the country. |
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Mabel Ping Hua Lee
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Mabel Ping Hua Lee immigrated from China to the US at a young age to continue her education at Barnard College. When she was 16, she became involved in movements around women’s suffrage and equality, even leading a suffrage parade in New York City in 1912. She was a tireless champion for the rights of Chinese American women, who only became able to vote after the repeal of the Chinese Exclusion Act in 1943 despite the passage of the 19th amendment 20 years earlier. Her strong beliefs in equal rights and her dedication to her community cemented her legacy in the suffrage movement. |
Hong Yen Chang
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Hong Yen Chang came to the United States in 1872 from Guangdong, China to continue his education as part of the Chinese Educational Mission. He eventually attended Columbia Law School but faced obstacles to being admitted to the New York Bar due to the Chinese Exclusion Act. After two years of advocacy, the legislature passed a special act that allowed him to become the first Chinese American lawyer in the United States. Chang’s legacy lives on in the many others who came after him, including his great-grandniece Rachelle B. Chong, the first Asian American to serve on the FCC. |
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Dith Pran
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Dith Pran was born in Cambodia in 1942 and lived through the regime of the Khmer Rouge. In 1972, he met and became the journalistic partner of New York Times journalist Sydney Schanberg. During the fall of Phnom Penh, Dith was imprisoned and sent to a labor camp for four years before he was able to escape. He moved to the US, where he was able to reunite with his family members and continue his advocacy and awareness campaign around the Cambodian Genocide. The stories he shed light on as a journalist and activist illustrate his heroic fight for survival and justice. |
