American Experience

An Extraordinary Law

Clip: Season 30 | 35s

On May 6, 1882, the Chinese Exclusion Act was signed into law by President Chester A. Arthur.

Aired: 05/29/18

Rating: NR

Buy Now:

Problems Playing Video? | Closed Captioning

Corporate sponsorship for American Experience is provided by Liberty Mutual Insurance. Major funding by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.

Support provided by:

American Experience.

Explore Free Resources
The Chinese Six Companies

Short

The Chinese Six Companies

On May 28, 1900, San Francisco policemen formed a perimeter around Chinatown as officials diagnosed bubonic plague in the neighborhood and wanted to quarantine the nearly 20,000 residents. As tensions flared, an influential group of merchants known as the Chinese Six Companies sprang into action.

Watch