Summary
Highlights
While Ellis Island is commonly taught as the main entry point for immigrants, Angel Island served as a detention center for Asian immigrants from 1910-1940. It was wrongly promoted like a 'pleasant' Ellis Island of the west, but it was far more difficult for immigrants due to exclusionary laws like the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882. Unlike Ellis Island, where 20% of immigrants were detained for 1-2 days, 60% of Angel Island's immigrants were detained for weeks or months, many Chinese immigrants even for over two years.
Russell Jung's grandmothers were detained at Angel Island in the 1920s. His paternal grandmother's immigration records show a grueling interview process, requiring three white witnesses to prove his American-born grandfather's citizenship. Many detainees (mostly Chinese immigrants) wrote poems on the walls describing their hardships (overcrowding, unsanitary conditions, unhealthy food, limited freedoms).
The Bagay family from India, led by Vishno Das Bagay and his wife Kala, arrived in San Francisco in 1915. Despite Vishno being educated, a professional, and adopting American customs, they faced severe anti-Asian discrimination. When they tried to move into their Berkeley home, white neighbors prevented them. Vishno was retroactively stripped of his citizenship. Overwhelmed by obstacles, he took his own life in 1928.
Kala Bagay, despite her immense tragedy and the prejudice she faced, persevered. She became a community leader, eventually gaining naturalized citizenship along with her three sons, and supported them through college and successful careers. In 2021, a street in Berkeley was named after her to honor her resilience and address the city's discriminatory past.
The emphasis on Ellis Island as the 'Great American Story' obscures the extensive discrimination faced by Asian immigrants at Angel Island. This limited historical narrative perpetuates an incomplete understanding of American immigration and white supremacy. Professor Jung highlights that the success of Ellis Island immigrants was partly due to laws that privileged their entry and citizenship, contrasting sharply with the struggles of Asian immigrants.
Even after six generations, Jung's family still faces discrimination, being seen as outsiders. In 2020, Jung launched the Stop AAPI Hate tracker to document the rise in anti-Asian racism. He argues that government rhetoric, such as calling COVID-19 the 'Chinese virus,' legitimizes hatred. Raising awareness through his efforts led to the Senate passing a bill in April 2021 to combat anti-Asian hate crimes. Education is crucial to bridging divides and fostering shared humanity.