EXCLUSION 排華

After more than three decades of harassment, discrimination, and violence toward the Chinese throughout the American West, the U.S. Congress passed the Chinese Exclusion Act in 1882 to restrict Chinese immigration. Not repealed until 1943, it was and remains the only federal law implemented explicitly to prevent both the immigration and naturalization of an ethnic group. The policy of exclusion as well as public racist sentiment dominated the lives of Chinese Americans, and Chinatowns throughout the U.S. became the only realistic option for many Chinese to call home and conduct business.

Old Chinatown, around the intersection of Alameda and Marchessault Streets (early 1930s)

My father and his family lived in what was called Old Chinatown, down where Union Station is. And they were given eviction notices to leave because they were going to build the train station. They didn't know what to do. They had stores and restaurants and life down in Chinatown.”

- Pat SooHoo Lem

This looks kind of dilapidated, scary almost. Did they actually get a better life when they came here? I feel like they struggled more here than back in the homeland.”

- Wesley Jiang

Street view of dwellings and businesses in Old Chinatown (1888)

Y. C. Hong’s certificate of identity, required for all Chinese in the U.S. for identification and tracking purposes (1921)

It's just disheartening having your own race targeted for discrimination. The Chinese Exclusion Act and the quotas based on race are in the history books and we learned about it in K-12 curriculum, but this was never part of it. I didn't know the extent of the exclusion, how demeaning it can be to a person's spirit.”

- Cindy Yan

So this is sad. It shows the proposed route of the freeway, you can see the on-ramp. It took out an area that included restaurants and cafes, demolished commercial buildings and residential spaces.”

- Eugene Moy

Sanborn Fire Insurance Atlas, future 101 Freeway on-ramp pasted over buildings of Old Chinatown slated for demolition (1940s)

Construction of 101 Freeway after forced relocation of Old Chinatown, Garnier Building (now the Chinese American Museum) in background (1949)

The Garnier Building was going to be demolished when the City was building the freeway. A contingent of Chinese leaders and businessmen rallied together to declare it as a historical monument. They saved that building, but other buildings were demolished.”

- Doré Hall Wong

The objective of my father [Y. C. Hong] in his practice was finding ways to legally unify families. Doing immigration work, he was very interested in civil rights for the Chinese in the United States. It was very hard on him when he would lose a case because he would know the family.”

- Nowland C. Hong

Hom Chuie and Hom Awk’s immigration affidavit prepared by attorney Y. C. Hong (1936)

Stories and Voices from L.A Chinatown

EXCLUSION 排華