Nearly every week, it seems there’s a new disturbing video or news report of attacks on Asian Americans or Pacific Islanders in the United States.
A new study says that anti-Asian hate crimes have increased in 16 of the nation’s largest cities and counties by 164% this past year.
All of this violence has highlighted the need for Asian American and Pacific Islander stories to be heard. Fortunately, all Americans have plenty of opportunities to listen and learn at historical sites throughout the United States.
Here are 13 sites that might provide a deeper understanding of the history of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders during Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month and beyond. Be sure to check with the sites before visiting as hours and operations may have changed during the pandemic.
Angel Island Immigration Station (San Francisco)
Located on Angel Island in San Francisco Bay, the US Immigration Station (USIS) was the main entry point for immigration from Asia after it opened in 1910. Also known as the “Ellis Island of the West,” nearly 500,000 people from 80 countries were processed or detained there between 1910 and 1940.
Many of those detained were Chinese because of the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act, the first law to restrict immigration based on race. This law allowed for only certain exempt groups of Chinese to immigrate to the US, which resulted in an influx of immigrants with fake documentation.
In an effort to uphold the Chinese…
