The Chinese Exclusion Act

On 18 January 2018 APIC, along with IDE, the Asian and Asian American LLC, and EmpowHER, sponsored a showing of The Chinese Exclusion Act, a documentary by Ric Burns and Li-Shin Yu about the first and only U.S. immigration legislation to target (and ban) one specific racenicital group and the events that led up to it. The documentary, which was to have its TV premiere on PBS later in 2018, was co-produced and provided by CAAM, the Center for Asian American Media. Attendance was good, with students, both undergraduate and graduate, Dartmouth staff, Dartmouth faculty, community members, and families. After the screening, Professor Jennifer Miller of the History Department gave some remarks, including placing those historical events in context with current national events, and then everyone adjourned to the lobby outside of Filene Auditorium for Chinese appetizers and sushi and discussion. Multiple attendees commented that they had learned things about U.S. history that they had known nothing or little about previously.

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