Connective Issues: A UMass Chan diversity and inclusion blog

The first recorded history of Asian immigration to North America was of Filipinos escaping forced labor and enslavement in the 16th century. The 1850s saw a subsequent wave as Asian immigrants provided labor for the California gold rush and the transcontinental railroad. As low wages and economic troubles plagued Americans, blame was placed on the Chinese and led to the “yellow peril” trope and the passing of the Chinese Exclusion Act that placed a 21-year immigration ban on the Chinese.