A few months ago, I made a post commenting on Catherine Choy’s book, Asian American Histories in the United States and its multiple starting points for considering Asian American history. Today, I want to talk about the point of these multiple starting points.
These multiple timelines serve the main purpose of highlighting stories that were otherwise understated or erased. Instead of following a singular linear textbook version of history that focuses purely on Asian presence in the States, these diverse stories and perspectives come together to form a more comprehensive picture of Asian American history. The Asian American Timeline website also emphasizes this, stating that following a linear, simplified presentation of AANHPI history “paints a misleading picture. It implies that Asian American experiences can be understood in the absence of a broader context of race and capitalism, that the history of a given population can somehow be placed outside the systems of power that organize society.” This idea also reminds me of how Asian Americans are often reduced to a single monolith. Even our history is placed within its own bubble, and our diverse community made up of different stories is tossed aside.
For example, in order to understand the large Viet presence in the States with nail salons, or Cambodian donut shops dotting various cities in the States, Choy describes how one must also understand that the influx of immigrants from Southeast Asian was because of the United States’ involvement with the Vietnam War. Because of the escalating war effort, many refugees from these countries had to flee to the States. Immigration patterns in the States were directly influenced by international wars and displacement. In search for geopolitical power, military/colonial engagements will always intersect with Asian American History. AANHPI history oftentimes cannot be fully understood without also acknowledging earlier history about such displacement that made such immigration possible.
Another point is how Asian Americans have also shaped American history through labor. The construction of the transcontinental railroad was achieved only by grueling labor from various minorities. Despite the fact that Chinese Americans completed most of the Central Pacific Railroad, their efforts were not credited and they were excluded from the railroad’s construction history. Choy’s emphasis on this storyline, as well as others, as a beginning point illustrates how AANHPI laborers played a crucial yet hidden role in American history and in changing its trajectory. Labor itself is an origin point for Asian American identity and a place where our history has been silenced.