Examine the origin, history and impact of the 1882 law that made it illegal for Chinese workers to come to America and for Chinese nationals already here ever to become U.S. citizens. The first in a long line of acts targeting the Chinese for exclusion, it remained in force for more than 60 years.
Chinese Exclusion Act On May 6th, 1882 - on the eve of the greatest wave of immigration in American history - President Chester A. Arthur signed into law a unique piece of federal legislation. Called the Chinese Exclusion Act, it singled out as never before a specific race and nationality for exclusion - making it illegal for Chinese workers to come to America - and for Chinese nationals already here ever to become citizens of the United States.
A deeply American story - about immigration and national identity, civil rights and human justice; about how we define who can be an American, and what being an American means - the film examines the economic, cultural, social, legal, racial and political dimensions of the law; the forces and events that gave rise to it; and the effect it had, and continues to have, on American culture and identity.
The Chinese Exclusion Act, explores in riveting detail this little known, yet deeply resonant and revealing episode in American history - one that sheds enormous light on key aspects of the history of American civil liberties, immigration, and culture - during one of the most formative periods of U.S. history.
Story by Ric Burns and Robin Espinola & Li-Shin Yu, Telescript by Ric Burns
Director: Ric Burns, Li-Shin Yu
Producer: Li-Shin Yu, Robin Espinola, Ric Burns
Producer: Ric Burns, Li-Shin Yu, Robin Espinola
Executive Producer: Stephen Gong, Donald Young
Production Year: 2019
Copyright Year: 2018
Rating: TV-PG
Narrator: Hoon Lee
Actors: Russell Wong, Fenton Li, Yuet-Fung Ho, Josh Hamilton, Joel de la Fuente
Writers: Ric Burns
Number of Discs: 1
Length: 162 minutes
Subtitled: Y
Subtitle Languages: Chinese;English
Language Track: English
Audio Format: 5.1 Surround
Aspect Ratio: 16x9 Widescreen