SUMMARY
Asian Americans are the fastest-growing demographic group in the U.S., but across American history, their stories and the discrimination they faced have often been overlooked. For her series, America at a Crossroads, Judy Woodruff looks at how that past continues to shape the question of who belongs in America.
View the transcript of the story.
NOTE: If you are short on time, watch the video and complete this See, Think, Wonder activity: What did you notice? What did the story make you think? What would you want to learn more about? You can also make a Google doc copy of these general discussion questions.
News alternative: Check our recent segments from the News Hour, and choose the story you’re most interested in watching and see the Google doc above for discussion questions.
WARM-UP QUESTIONS
- Who is Michael Luo, and what is his background?
- What is the Museum of Chinese in America?
- When was the Chinese Exclusion Act passed?
- How did the Immigration and Nationality Act affect migration?
- Why has the experience of Chinese Americans impacted decisions on "birthright citizenship" and immigration today?
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
- How do you think the experience of Asian Americans in the United States has shaped the history of all immigration in the U.S.?
- Why do you think the experience of Asian Americans has been "overlooked" as described in this segment?
Media literacy: How does Michael Luo use a combination of personal stories and historical evidence to help readers understand the broader history of Asian Americans? Do you think this approach makes the story more impactful? Why or why not?
WHAT STUDENTS CAN DO
Choose one historical moment from the article to focus on(e.g., Chinese railroad workers, the Chinese Exclusion Act, Angel Island, Wong Kim Ark, Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965).
After conducting research about the historical moment you selected, answer the following questions:
- What challenges did people face during this period?
- How did laws or public opinion affect their sense of belonging?
- What lessons can we learn today?
Written by Jackalyn Karamanougian, PBS News Hour Classroom's intern, and News Hour's Victoria Pasquantonio.
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