Summary Of Movement - Andre Tabas
During the 1960s and 1970s, Asian Americans began to gather together to fight for their needs. Asian Americans wanted more nationality studies programs in colleges, an end to the Vietnam war, and to amend the Japanese Americans who were put in prison camps during World War II. Other needs included fairness in schools, equal work for farm workers and a close on bias in the United States Immigration policy. This became known as the Yellow Power movement. Many groups showed themselves during this time to fight for what they wanted.
How did students fight for what they wanted?
Early in the movement, Asian American groups were mainly focused on gaining equality. These groups came together in big cities and colleges all over the United States. At San Francisco State college, the TWLF formed, otherwise known as the Third World Liberation Front, that included not only Asian Americans, but Latinos and African Americans. They wanted change within the schools' programs and policies and they began a strike on November 6th, 1968, which eventually became the longest student strike in United States history. The strike ended in March 1969 and most of their needs were resolved. The TWLF inspired many other groups like the ICSA, Intercollegiate Chinese for Social Action, PACE, Philippine-American Collegiate Endeavor, and the AAPA, Asian American Political Alliance. All of these groups helped organize the struggles of Asian Americans in their community, specifically in schools. These students helped set the stage for Asian American activism.
The Workers Movement
Although Asian Americans played a key part in the structure of the United States, Asian Americans were faced with many challenges from the American Labor Movement. The American Labor Movement did everything they could to pass the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, which cut the migration of Chinese workers and stopped them from becoming citizens of the United States. Asians were given a bad name because they were said to be the reason for unemployment and different things too. Various Labor Unions thought that Asian workers would bring down wages and destroy strikes. In a sense, Asian Americans didn't get the respect they deserved after helping build railroads, working in mines, etc.
The end of the movement came shortly after the Vietnam War. Many Asian American activist groups disappeared as there was really no reason to come together. Japanese American had the challenge of the wounds left after being interned and activists actually had the government apologize for their actions in internment camps during World War II. This marked the end of the Yellow Power movement.
How did students fight for what they wanted?
Early in the movement, Asian American groups were mainly focused on gaining equality. These groups came together in big cities and colleges all over the United States. At San Francisco State college, the TWLF formed, otherwise known as the Third World Liberation Front, that included not only Asian Americans, but Latinos and African Americans. They wanted change within the schools' programs and policies and they began a strike on November 6th, 1968, which eventually became the longest student strike in United States history. The strike ended in March 1969 and most of their needs were resolved. The TWLF inspired many other groups like the ICSA, Intercollegiate Chinese for Social Action, PACE, Philippine-American Collegiate Endeavor, and the AAPA, Asian American Political Alliance. All of these groups helped organize the struggles of Asian Americans in their community, specifically in schools. These students helped set the stage for Asian American activism.
The Workers Movement
Although Asian Americans played a key part in the structure of the United States, Asian Americans were faced with many challenges from the American Labor Movement. The American Labor Movement did everything they could to pass the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, which cut the migration of Chinese workers and stopped them from becoming citizens of the United States. Asians were given a bad name because they were said to be the reason for unemployment and different things too. Various Labor Unions thought that Asian workers would bring down wages and destroy strikes. In a sense, Asian Americans didn't get the respect they deserved after helping build railroads, working in mines, etc.
The end of the movement came shortly after the Vietnam War. Many Asian American activist groups disappeared as there was really no reason to come together. Japanese American had the challenge of the wounds left after being interned and activists actually had the government apologize for their actions in internment camps during World War II. This marked the end of the Yellow Power movement.
Works Cited
"Civil Rights." Asian American Reference Library. Ed. Helen Zia, et al. 2nd ed. Detroit: UXL, 2004. U.S. History in Context. Web. 28 May 2015.
Nittle, Nadra Kareem. "History of the Asian-American Civil Rights Movement." Aboutnews. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 May 2015.
"Civil Rights." Asian American Reference Library. Ed. Helen Zia, et al. 2nd ed. Detroit: UXL, 2004. U.S. History in Context. Web. 28 May 2015.
Nittle, Nadra Kareem. "History of the Asian-American Civil Rights Movement." Aboutnews. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 May 2015.