American Paper Son: A Chinese Immigrant in the Midwest
- ISBN-10
- 0252072634
- ISBN-13
- 9780252072635
- Category
- Chinese Americans
- Pages
- 178
- Language
- English
- Published
- 2006
- Publisher
- University of Illinois Press
- Author
- Wayne Hung Wong
Description
During the height of racist anti-Chinese U.S. immigration laws, illegal aliens were able to come into the States under false papers identifying them as the sons of those who had returned to China to marry and have children. American Paper Son is the story of one such Chinese immigrant who came to Wichita, Kansas, in 1935 as a thirteen-year-old "paper son" to help in his father's restaurant there. This vivid first-person account addresses significant themes in Asian American history through the lens of Wong's personal stories. Wong served in one of the all-Chinese units of the 14th Air Force in China during World War II and he discusses the impact of race and segregation on his experience. After the war he found a wife in Taishan, brought her to the US, and became involved in the government's infamous Confession program (an amnesty program for immigrants). Wong eventually became a successful real estate entrepreneur in Wichita. Rich with poignant insights into the realities of life as part of a very small Chinese American population in a Midwestern town, this memoir provides an important new view of the Asian American experience away from the West Coast. Benson Tong adds a scholarly introduction and useful annotations.
Get the book
Other editions
-
- 2006
- 200 pages
- Paperback
- University of Illinois Press
Similar books
-
Lotus Among the Magnolias: The Mississippi Chinese
By Robert Seto QuanUnlike most Chinese-American studies which focus on large urban concentrations sustained by continuous immigration, this study centers on a small Chinese enclave located in a rural Southern biracial society.
-
The Lams of Ludlow Street
By Thomas Holton, Charles Traub, Bonnie YochelsonExploration into the life of one Chinese family living in New York City's Chinatown neighborhood.
-
Celebrating Chinese New Year: Nick's New Year
By Rosa Drew, Heather PhillipsCelebrating Chinese New Year : Nick's New Year © 1999 Creative Teaching Press , Inc. Written by Rosa Drew and Heather Phillips Illustrated by Cheryl Kirk Noll Project Director : Carolea Williams Editor : Joel Kupperstein Art Director ...
-
Celebra El Ano Nuevo Chino Con La Familia Fong / Celebrate Chinese New Yeark with the Fong Family
By Alma Flor Ada, F. Isabel CampoyA Chinese-American family invites their good friends the Sánchez, a Latino family, to celebrate with them the Chinese New Year.
-
Playing at Lily's House
By Betsy Franco, Rigby EducationWhile playing at Lily's house, a little girl tells how various objects are shapes such as, triangle, square, retangle, and sphere.
-
Chinese Immigrants
By Robert Asher, Michael Teitelbaum" Spanning the time from when the Europeans first came to the New World to the present day, the new "Immigration to the United States" set conveys the excitement of these stories to young people.
-
Lili Kiat
By Bob McCall"A new life in the United States means tough choices for Lili, a young girl from Singapore. But what if a choice is between two important things? How will Lili handle it? "--
-
Jin
By Bob McCall"Jin faces many obstacles when she moves to the United States. How does she overcome them?"--
-
Red, White, and Blue and Katie Woo!
By Fran ManushkinAs Katie, her parents, and friends celebrate Independence Day with a parade, games, a picnic, and fireworks, the few things that go wrong do not interfere with their fun.
-
Vera Wang, Queen of Fashion: Amazing Chinese American
By Ai-Ling Louie48 pages, full color drawings, picture book biography. Grades K-5