Chinese in San Jose and the Santa Clara Valley

Chinese in San Jose and the Santa Clara Valley
ISBN-10
0738547778
ISBN-13
9780738547770
Category
Social Science
Pages
134
Language
English
Published
2007
Publisher
Arcadia Publishing
Authors
Lillian Gong-Guy, Gerrye Wong

Description

The fertile Santa Clara Valley--once called the Valley of Heart's Delight and later Silicon Valley--has long been home to a substantial Chinese population. Like other immigrants, they arrived seeking opportunity and armed with survival instincts and the ability to persevere, but the struggles they faced were unique. From 1866 to 1931, five distinct Chinatowns existed in San Jose, each one devastated by mysterious fires or stifled by unjust laws. Early Chinese in the region labored relentlessly, building railroads and levees and toiling as laundrymen, grocers, cooks, servants, field hands, and factory workers. In the 20th century, new industries replaced agriculture, and an influx of Chinese invigorated the valley with innovative ideas, helping it emerge as a leader in technology.

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