By Quincy Williams
Anti-Asian discrimination is not a new issue or an isolated historical event, but rather a part of the American narrative. Stereotypes, whether negative or “positive,” like those depicting Asian Americans as a “model minority,” perpetuate fear or contempt toward the Asian American community. The timeline above, from the 1850s to the present day, highlights key moments that exemplify the white community’s anxieties about Asians that stem from socio-political issues.
Sociologists have found that the link between Chinese people and the COVID-19 virus has sparked an influx in hate crimes, negative bias, and microaggressions toward Asian Americans. My sister experienced this hostility first-hand in northern California during the summer of 2020 when an Uber driver wouldn’t let her get in his car after seeing that she was Chinese. Although not directly targeted myself, as a Chinese-American, I have also noticed an uptick in the stigma surrounding Asians that made me self-reflect on my race in a way that I haven’t had to before. To better understand the impact of Anti-Asian discrimination today, it is crucial to know the extent to which it has been prevalent throughout this history.
Link to Timeline: https://prezi.com/view/uXc8SMK9bONZ8fZ5KBvS/
Bibliography:
Ancestors in the Americas. “Asian American History Timeline.” Copyright 1998-2009. https://bancroft.berkeley.edu/collections/chinese-immigration-to-the-united-states-1884-1944/timeline.html
Kymlicka, W., and J. Skrentny. “Model Minority.” Department of Washington University, n.d. https://depts.washington.edu/sibl/Publications/Model%20Minority%20Section%20(2011).pdf.
LEE, ERIKA. “The “Yellow Peril” and Asian Exclusion in the Americas.” Pacific Historical Review 76, no. 4 (2007): 537-62. Accessed March 29, 2021. doi:10.1525/phr.2007.76.4.537.
