The Paper Daughters of Chinatown: Unveiling the Hidden Lives of Chinese Immigrants in America

The Paper Daughters of Chinatown

by Heather B. Moore

4.5 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	2405 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
X-Ray	:	Enabled
Print length	:	332 pages

FREE

The Paper Daughters of Chinatown is a groundbreaking work of history that sheds light on the hidden lives of Chinese immigrants who came to America in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Through extensive research and interviews with survivors, author Mei Fong tells the untold stories of these women who were forced into arranged marriages or prostitution.

The book's title refers to the practice of "paper marriages," in which Chinese men would pay a fee to an agent to have a woman from China sent to America to be their wife. These women were often young and poor, and they had little choice but to agree to these marriages in order to escape poverty and persecution in their home country.

Once in America, these women were often treated as property by their husbands. They were forced to work long hours in factories or as prostitutes, and they were often denied basic rights and freedoms.

The Resilience of the Paper Daughters

Despite the hardships they faced, the paper daughters of Chinatown showed remarkable resilience and strength. They formed secret societies to support each other, and they fought for their rights in court and in the streets.

One of the most famous paper daughters was Wong Kim Ark, who was born in San Francisco in 1873. When she was 21 years old, she was denied citizenship because her parents were not naturalized citizens. Wong Kim Ark fought for her rights all the way to the Supreme Court, and in 1898, she won a landmark decision that declared that all children born in the United States are citizens, regardless of their parents' citizenship status.

The paper daughters of Chinatown are a testament to the resilience and strength of the human spirit. They overcame unimaginable hardships to build new lives for themselves and for their families. Their stories are a reminder that even in the darkest of times, hope can prevail.

The Legacy of the Paper Daughters

The paper daughters of Chinatown have left a lasting legacy on American history. Their struggle for rights helped to pave the way for the civil rights movement, and their stories continue to inspire people today.

In 2010, the United States Congress passed a resolution apologizing for the mistreatment of Chinese immigrants during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The resolution also recognized the contributions of the paper daughters to American society.

The paper daughters of Chinatown are a reminder that the American dream is not always easy to achieve, but it is always worth fighting for. Their stories are a testament to the power of hope, perseverance, and resilience.

The Paper Daughters of Chinatown is a must-read for anyone who wants to learn more about the history of Chinese immigration to America. It is a powerful and moving account of the resilience and strength of these women who overcame unimaginable hardships to build new lives for themselves and for their families.

The Paper Daughters of Chinatown

by Heather B. Moore

4.5 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	2405 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
X-Ray	:	Enabled
Print length	:	332 pages

FREE