Ancestors in the Americas, Part II: Chinese in the Frontier West

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An American Story

This film documents the large-scale migration of Chinese to California during the Gold Rush of the 1850s and the central role that these immigrants played in developing the American West by building the first Transcontinental Railroad and transforming California into the breadbasket of the nation. Their landmark legal battles to overcome discrimination helped to develop U.S. civil rights law, setting key precedents and expanding the definition of what it means to be an American. This two-part series presents the history, challenges, and lasting impact of early Asian immigrants to the Americas, from the 1700s to the 1900s. The series follows their little-known journeys and stories, reveals their pioneering struggle against racial hatred and for basic rights, and depicts their lasting cultural, legal and economic contributions to the building of the Americas.