Asian American History and Culture: an Encyclopedia

On one level “Asian Americans” is an empty phrase: nothing but an umbrella term for immigrants who came from the Asian land mass and for the modern Americans who are descended from them. It encompasses groups who frankly have nothing in common, from Pakistani Muslims to Catholic Filipinos. They are not homogeneous ethnically, religiously, politically or culturally. So the single category “Asian‐Americans” is virtually meaningless. But there is an impressive human reality behind the words. One and a half million Asians left their homes and came to the USA for a new life – and of course they brought their...