Black on Yellow: Afro-Americans View Chinese-Americans, 1850-1935

Abstract

HISTORIANS have recently turned their attention to ethnic history. Virtually each month sees the publication of some new book or article devoted to these formerly invisible elements of our society. Ethnic history is most welcome, for it provides a needed corrective to standard American history books, which all too often glorify white Anglo-Saxon society while dismissing the cultural values of the elements of America's population. Unfortunately most ethnic history is focused on interaction between white Protestants, the dominant group, and one or more minority groups. History books neglect completely the way different minorities think about each other. Sociologists, on the other hand, have on occasion surveyed the ethnic prejudices of both white and black college students. Typically, students are asked anonymously to list traits they ascribe to various ethnic groups. Responses are tabulated and each group is ranked; the more positive the stereotype, the higher the rank. But sadly this is where most sociologists and social psychologists stop. They are well able to offer credible explanations for the current rating of a particular group, but they seem uninterested in putting these ratings into a historical perspective.1 This paper seeks to provide a historical explanation for the generally unfavorable stereotype blacks have held about the American Chinese. The time period covered starts around 1850, when blacks first came