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American Epistles

By: American Epistles
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  • Summary

  • … the story of our country, one letter at a time.
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Episodes
  • “Is it a disgrace to be born a Chinese?” (Chinese Immigration, Part 3)

    “Is it a disgrace to be born a Chinese?” (Chinese Immigration, Part 3)
    Apr 21 2022
    Among the many young girls who arrived in San Francisco in 1868, was one 11-year-old from Shanghai. After five months in Chinatown, she was taken in by Ladies’ Protection and Relief Society on Franklin Street, where she was given the name Mary. The following year, Chew Diep arrived from Taishan. In 1875, he met Mary while he delivered milk for the Sterling family. They married on November 16, and before long, Chew Diep changed his name to Joe Tape. By Mary’s own account, the family lived, “the same as other Caucasians, except in features.” The Tapes lived in the Black Point neighborhood, now called Cow Hollow, which was predominantly white.  But neither the Tapes’ affluence nor assimilation could protect them from discrimination.
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    32 mins
  • “I thought I was his wife.” (Chinese Immigration, Part 2)

    “I thought I was his wife.” (Chinese Immigration, Part 2)
    Mar 21 2022
    While Chinese men flocked to "Gold Mountain," many families in the "Celestial Empire" struggled for survival, and girls were the least valuable members.   Sometimes they were sold away, and ended up in the United States as prostitutes. But they found refuge in organizations like the Women’s Occidental Board of Missions, led by Donaldina Cameron. Eventually, Chinese men were able to bring their wives, and San Francisco's Chinatown became a community of families. The demands of home life kept working-class wives very busy. But middle-class Chinese women formed societies that gave them the opportunity to not only socialize, but develop leadership skills, and advocate for issues that were important to them, including suffrage.
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    46 mins
  • “The Chinese were in a pitiable condition …” (Chinese Immigration, Part 1)

    “The Chinese were in a pitiable condition …” (Chinese Immigration, Part 1)
    Oct 2 2021
    The story of large-scale Chinese immigration to the United States begins in the 1850s. Most came from Guangdong Province, wracked for decades by civil and economic unrest. Gam Saan, or “Gold Mountain,” held the promise of wealth that could enrich an entire village. When the Gold Rush subsided, Chinese men found work on the Transcontinental Railroad. They would build 90% of the Central Pacific Railroad, laying track in record time. However, while the Chinese were initially heralded for their industry and efficiency, they would become targets of harassment and violence. In 1882, when Chinese immigrants were 0.21% of the population, Congress passed the Exclusion Act. From 1910 to 1940, the Angel Island Immigration Station played an important role in the enforcement of the law. Poems inscribed into the barracks walls give us a glimpse into life for those waiting to learn their fates.
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    48 mins
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