On Asian America: Past And Present Stories Of Living In The Rural Northwest
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The Inland Northwest holds a history of violence against Chinese workers. In Hells’ Canyon, at last 34 Chinese miners were murdered for their gold. In Pierce, Idaho, there’s a Chinese hanging tree where five men were killed by white vigilantes.
But not all Chinese were treated terribly. Polly Beamis wasn’t seen as a threat. How does this history relate to today’s views on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders?
In this special hear from Gregory Nokes, author of Massacred for Gold: The Chinese in Hells Canyon, and Dr. Priscilla Wegers, author of Polly Bemis: The Life and Times of a Chinese American Pioneer. You’ll also learn more about the history of Asians in America with Dr. Kornel Chang of Rutgers University. He’s the author of Pacific Connections: The Making of U.S. Canadian Borderlands.
Then hear about the experiences of several Asian Americans living in eastern Washington. Mysti Meiers and Danielle Kleist from the Tri-Cities and Jill Creighton and Esther Louie of the Palouse region share their experiences with anti-Asian sentiments.
You’ll also learn about ways to be an advocate to stop anti-Asian hate.
On Asian America: AAPI Experiences and Identities is a collaboration between Humanities Washington, KUOW, Spokane Public Radio and NWPB.
Special thanks to correspondent Anna King and producer/editor Connor Henrickson.
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