Press Play with Madeleine Brand
PBS documentary sheds light on Chinese Exclusion Act
As the Statue of Liberty was being assembled from parts sent from France in the late 19th Century, the U.S. government passed a law that targeted the Chinese.
By Madeleine Brand • • 1 min readAs the Statue of Liberty was being assembled from parts sent from France in the late 19th Century, the U.S. government passed a law that targeted the Chinese. It banned Chinese workers from immigrating to the U.S., and it banned the Chinese people who were already here from becoming citizens. That ban existed for 60 years. The Chinese Exclusion Act wasn’t repealed until 1943. A new PBS special explores this chapter of American history. It airs nationwide today.
The Lim family, from the PBS American Experience special
“The Chinese Exclusion Act.”
Images courtesy of PBS
Madeleine Brand
Host, 'Press Play'
Sarah Sweeney
Vice President of Talk Programming, KCRW
Michell Eloy
Line Editor, Press Play
Amy Ta
Digital News & Culture Editor
Ric Burns
Co-Director of the PBS American Experience special “The Chinese Exclusion Act”
Li-Shin Yu
Co-Director of the PBS American Experience special “The Chinese Exclusion Act”