A Chinese Latino Migration Archive

A Chinese Latino Migration Archive

id cards flat lay

01 The Chinese Coolie Trade 02 Life in Latin America 03 Integrating the Latino Diaspora 04 Changes in Immigration Law 05 A Chinese-Ecuadorian Family History 06 Chinese Latino New York 07 Works Cited 01 The Chinese Coolie Trade 02 Life in Latin America 03 Integrating the Latino Diaspora 04 Changes in Immigration Law 05 A Chinese-Ecuadorian Family History 06 Chinese Latino New York 07 Works Cited Enter

Youth Researcher Clarissa Kunizaki

Clarissa Kunizaki is a senior in high school and a founding member of the Localized History Project. As the Youth Co-Director of Community and Historical Research, she seeks to foster joy and exploration with peers to uncover radical histories.

Educator Guides are created by LHP youth for New York City teachers. These guides compile the primary and secondary sources featured in each exhibit, making them easy to print and integrate into existing classroom materials.

Clarissa Kunizaki’s project explores the histories, migrations, and family stories of the Chinese-Latinx diaspora of New York City. What factors brought this community to NYC? Using both primary and secondary sources, this exhibit explores this overlooked chapter in both global and New York City history. Interwoven with broader historical context about the Chinese coolie trade and histories of immigration, Clarissa follows her own family’s migration history, shares oral histories and testimonios, and uplifts Chinese-Latinx restaurants and cultural sites in New York City.

Educators and students can explore this exhibit, then download additional resources to learn more about this important NYC community. Our teachers’ guide includes suggested activities and pedagogical strategies, while the primary source packet offers a downloadable resource for classroom engagement.

01 The Chinese Coolie Trade 02 Life in Latin America 03 Integrating the Latino Diaspora 04 Changes in Immigration Law 05 A Chinese-Ecuadorian Family History 06 Chinese Latino New York 07 Works Cited 01 The Chinese Coolie Trade 02 Life in Latin America 03 Integrating the Latino Diaspora 04 Changes in Immigration Law 05 A Chinese-Ecuadorian Family History 06 Chinese Latino New York 07 Works Cited Enter the Exhibit

Time period

Early 20th century, Long 1960s, 21st century

Theme

Cross-Racial and Transnational Solidarity

Joy, Celebration, Achievements

Localized New York City History

PDF Plain text

Note From the Teacher

Guiding question

In what ways does the history of multiple migration impact the development of the Chinese-Latino diaspora?

Introduce Yourself

Hello! My name is Sneha and I’m a 10th grade global history teacher in New York City!

Framing of the Exhibit from a Teacher’s Perspective

In this exhibit, Clarissa provides us with the opportunity to bring our students into the world of better understanding identity, migration, and diaspora. The case of the Chinese-Latino community offers our students a look both into cultural sites across NYC, and an examination of the impacts of colonialism and capitalism on the foundations of migrations and cross-group solidarity.

Pedagogical Considerations/Accessibility Notes/Teaching in a NYC Classroom

Considerations:

This is a good opportunity to teach about the economic structures of capitalism and its relatedness to colonialism, with an emphasis on exploited labor.
Indentured servitude and chattel slavery, while sharing certain similarities, were different structures. Make sure to note this to students when teaching about the history of indentured servitude and the ‘coolie’ trade.
For many, it’s easy to forget stories of multiple migrations. Making sure students understand that the Chinese Latino community has their own distinct identity and culture, and that identity in New York should not be conflated as one-dimensional is important!

Vocabulary:

Coolie
Indentured Servitude
Corporal Punishment
Sinophobia
Naturalization
Diaspora
“Unassimilable”

Standards/Location in Scope and Sequence

10.4 IMPERIALISM: Western European interactions with Africa and Asia shifted from limited regional contacts along the coast to greater influence and connections throughout these regions. Competing industrialized states sought to control and transport raw materials and create new markets across the world. (Standards: 2, 3, 4; Themes: MOV, TCC, GEO, GOV, EXCH)

11.1 COLONIAL FOUNDATIONS (1607– 1763): European colonization in North America

prompted cultural contact and exchange between diverse peoples; cultural differences and

misunderstandings at times led to conflict. A variety of factors contributed to the

development of regional differences, including social and racial hierarchies, in colonial

America. (Standards: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5; Themes: MOV, TCC, GEO, GOV, ECO, EXCH)

11.4 POST-CIVIL WAR ERA (1865 – 1900): Reconstruction resulted in political reunion and expanded constitutional rights. However, those rights were undermined, and issues of

inequality continued for African Americans, women, Native Americans, Mexican Americans, and Chinese immigrants. (Specifically: 11.4d Racial and economic motives contributed to long-standing discrimination against Mexican Americans and opposition to Chinese immigration) (Standards: 1, 4, 5; Themes: ID, TCC, CIV, ECO)