Japanese Americans

Between 1865 and 1955, nearly 500,000 Japanese arrived on American shores, seeking a better life for themselves and their children. But achieving a better life in America would prove difficult for these hard-working immigrants, whose distinct ethnicity and cultural differences set them apart from their newfound neighbors in this new homeland. Immigrating mostly to Hawaii, California, and other parts of the western United States, the Japanese found relative ease leaving their homeland in search of a new life. In fact, up until 1908, the Japanese government freely granted leave permits to those wishing to emigrate, and farms in the United States were eager to hire these immigrants at low wages to perform backbreaking field labor work. Concerned about too many Japanese entering the United States, however, the U.S. government in 1908 sought to control the tide of Japanese immigrants seeking work and a new home on U.S. soil. Then, in 1924, the United States banned all immigration from Asia. Yet, in spite of the racial bigotry they faced, the cruel working conditions they endured, and the internment camps in which they lived during World War II, Japanese Americans maintained their pride, honor, and rich ethnic heritage. Read about the experiences of the first Japanese immigrants coming to America in search of a new life, and about the contributions of Japanese Americans to the fabric of American culture and society. Book jacket.Mattern, Joanne is the author of 'Japanese Americans' with ISBN 9780791075104 and ISBN 0791075109.