The Human Impact of the Chinese Exclusion Act
detainees
people who are being kept in prison, sometimes for political reasons
calligraphy
Chinese script, usually written with brushes and ink
decades
periods of ten years
demolition
planned destruction of a building or other structure
excluded
prevented someone from doing something or being part of a group; left out
barracks
a building or group of buildings, usually where soldiers live
Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882
an act of Congress that banned the immigration of skilled or unskilled Chinese laborers into the U.S. for 10 years, and deprived Chinese immigrants in America of the right to apply for citizenship
racism
discriminatory or abusive behavior towards members of another race
humiliation
having one's self-respect and dignity taken away; being made to feel shame
traumatized
having suffered physical, mental, or emotional pain and injury
Angel Island Immigration Station
on an island in San Francisco Bay, this immigration center processed and detained nearly 1 million Asian immigrants between 1910 and 1940, leading it to be called "The Ellis Island of the West."
interrogation
the act of asking someone many questions, sometimes in a forceful way
exclusion
the act of leaving someone out of a group
spearhead
to be the leader of something; to start something (like a political movement)
public awareness campaign
when people use television, newspapers, social media, and other methods of communication to help the public understand a particular message and sometimes ask people to take action
laborer
worker (usually unskilled work)