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Asian American & Pacific Islander History ‑ Stories

Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have played vital roles in shaping the nation—from building the Transcontinental Railroad to advocating for labor law changes to fighting in multiple wars. They made these contributions while also facing persistent discrimination and violence throughout U.S. history.

Anna May Wong

Anna May Wong: 13 Facts About Her Trailblazing Hollywood Career

Wong started acting at age 14 and rose to fame, but as a Chinese American, landing leading roles was often a struggle.

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Polynesian canoes, circa 1768.

Did Polynesian Voyagers Reach the Americas Before Columbus?

The Polynesians were expert sailors—and research suggests they landed in the Americas centuries before Columbus.

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Chinatown, San Francisco, 1900.

How American Chinatowns Emerged Amid 19th‑Century Racism

Facing economic threats and violence, early Chinese immigrants banded together and created communities to survive—and thrive.

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General Douglas MacArthur and Emperor Hirohito of Japan, dated 1945.

How the US and Japan Went From Enemies to Allies After WWII

General Douglas MacArthur led a seven‑year occupation that demilitarized, democratized and helped rebuild the Pacific nation.

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When Chinese Americans Were Scapegoated for Bubonic Plague

When Chinese Americans Were Scapegoated for Bubonic Plague

As Honolulu and San Francisco faced outbreaks, the cities’ responses caused devastation to Asian communities.

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Supporters of Chol Soo Lee gathered at the Hall of Justice in San Francisco on August 9, 1982.

How Asian Americans United to Free a Wrongfully Convicted Prisoner from Death Row

When Korean American Chol Soo Lee was accused of murder in 1974, authorities misidentified him as Chinese American, and his case was marred by bias.

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Diamondhead coastline, Oahu, Hawaii

Hawaii’s Long Road to Becoming America’s 50th State

Hawaii became part of the union more than six decades after an illegal coup ousted the Native Hawaiian monarchy.

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10 Asian American Actors From Hollywood's Golden Age, Anna May Wong

10 Asian American Actors From Hollywood’s Golden Age

Actors of East Asian descent often faced limited and typecast roles in Old Hollywood, but they paved the way for future generations.

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How Japanese Americans Won Reparations for WWII Incarceration

How Japanese Americans Fought for—and Won—Redress for WWII Incarceration

It was a long road from the end of the war until President Reagan signed the 1988 Civil Liberties Act.

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Japanese-American infantrymen of the 442nd Combat Team hike up a muddy French road to their new bivouac area, October 14, 1944.

How a Japanese American Regiment Rescued WWII’s ‘Lost Battalion’

The Nisei soldiers of the 442nd became the most highly decorated regiment in U.S. military history for its size and length of service.

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The Chinese-Born Engineer Who Helped Launch US Commercial Aviation

The Chinese‑Born Engineer Who Helped Launch US Commercial Aviation

Wong Tsu’s 10 months at Boeing in 1916‑17 led to the fledgling airplane manufacturer’s first military plane, first airmail plane and eventually, its first passenger plane.

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Filipino Fishermen Established the First Asian American Settlement in Louisiana

The First Asian American Settlement Was Established by Filipino Fishermen

The fishing village in marshlands of present‑day Louisiana was settled by the so‑called Manilamen as early as 1763.

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