Chinese-American Genealogy
Chinese-American History
As in Canada, the roots of the Chinese community in the U.S. date back to the mid-19th century. Most 19th-century immigrants from China similarly originated from the Pearl River Delta area, and came to the country's west coast. In 1890, 107,488 Chinese were recorded in the California census, mostly men.
The first pioneers were attracted to California by gold discoveries in 1848. U.S. railroad companies imported Chinese labourers in the 1860s, and the Chinese also worked in the mining industry and in service occupations, such as laundries and restaurants.
While many Chinese labourers eventually returned to China, some settled, and their growing numbers eventually sparked a backlash leading to discriminatory legislation. The Naturalization Act of 1870 made Asians ineligible for citizenship. It was followed in 1882 by the Chinese Exclusion Act, which froze Chinese immigration, limiting it to diplomats, scholars, travelers, and merchants. The Scott Act of 1888 barred Chinese labourers from re-entering the U.S. once they had left.
San Francisco had a very large Chinese population, and the destruction of many birth records in the earthquake and fire of 1906 provided an opportunity to circumvent the Chinese Exclusion Act. In many cases, fraudulent records were created and "paper sons" invented.
In 1943, Congress repealed the exclusionary laws and Chinese could once again become naturalized citizens. However, immigration was restricted to a small annual quota of 105, although after the war, Congress passed legislation allowing Chinese war veterans to bring their wives to the United States.
The restrictions on immigration had encouraged the use of fraudulent identities, but in 1959, the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service implemented a Confession and Amnesty program which allowed individuals to clear their immigration status. It wasn't until 1965, however, that Chinese immigration was placed on an equal basis with that of all other nations.
For more information on Chinese-American history, see:
- Books for Chinese-American Genealogy and History
- Websites for Chinese-American Genealogy and History
Photo banner: Detail from VPL Historical Photograph 8838
