Asian American Activism

There is a long and rich history of Asian American Activism in the United States, one that continues to be written to this day. Yet often these stories are lost to our history books and our current media coverage. Why do some of our country's social justice struggles occupy hallowed ground in our collective memory while others escape us? Do popular stereotypes about Asian Americans keep us from remembering their place in our country's history of activism?

The purpose of this site is to both shine a light on examples of Asian American activism in our country's history and to celebrate the work that is still being done today. In each section below, you will find a small collection of digital artifacts that, taken together, provide a glimpse into one chapter of the Asian American activist story. This site was not created by an expert in Asian American studies but rather a student who is still learning. An exhaustive, authoritative list is beyond the scope of this collection and the expertise of the curator. In fact, visitors are encouraged to ask themselves, "What is missing? Why were some events included and others left out? What would it take to fill in the gaps? What more is there to learn?"