Asian Americans in Washington State
One story of Washington state is a story of immigration, but it is not the simple tale of assimilation or acculturation. Immigrants brought pieces of culture from their native lands to Washington state, where they melded them with pieces taken from American culture. The documents that accompany this essay demonstrate how Chinese, Japanese, and Filipinos came to Washington, struggled against discrimination, labored to earn their living, and created distinctive cultures and identities. These documents chronicle, in a small way, how some Asian immigrants became Asian Americans.
The Center for the Study of the Pacific Northwest is dedicated to advancing scholarship on the Pacific Northwest, and the North American West more generally, with an emphasis on historical research. Located in the Department of History at the University of Washington, we support research, teaching, and public programs that promote and disseminate knowledge on the peoples and issues that have defined and shaped the Pacific Northwest.
