Like all other Americans, Asian-Americans experienced difficulty finding jobs during the Great Depression. Unemployment went up as high as 50% in Chinatowns in California. Those that were employed were paid low wages in low level jobs and were faced by the pressure from unemployed white Americans. White Americans actively campaigned against the employment of Asians. Riots arose in California where white Americans beat and drove out Filipino workers.
Chinese Families cutting potatoes in a factory, Photograph
Photographer Unknown, 1930
This photograph shows Chinese Americans' families working together at a foodstuffs factory. Many Asian Americans came to work in factories or on farms. During the Great Depression, Asian American communities were worse off than white workers. There were higher levels of unemployment for them. They were excluded from the Works Progress Administration because of the difficulty for an Asian American to apply for citizenship. But other New Deal programs helped. In San Francisco's Chinatown, housing, health clinics, and living conditions in general were improved.
Photographer Unknown, 1930
This photograph shows Chinese Americans' families working together at a foodstuffs factory. Many Asian Americans came to work in factories or on farms. During the Great Depression, Asian American communities were worse off than white workers. There were higher levels of unemployment for them. They were excluded from the Works Progress Administration because of the difficulty for an Asian American to apply for citizenship. But other New Deal programs helped. In San Francisco's Chinatown, housing, health clinics, and living conditions in general were improved.
Coverage in Globe Republican of Anti-Filipino vigilante action
Seattle, Washington on May 8, 1930
This newspaper covers the actions of the white farm residents of Dryden and Wenatchee, Washington. They threatened the Filipino residents to leave the town or face threats of lynching. All of those who were involved with agriculture: sellers, growers, and packers protested the Filipino workers. Immigrants were paid less for their jobs and thus were more likely to be hired. The white workers hated how they lost their jobs to the Filipino, and as a solution- tried to expel all the Filipinos from their city. The anti-immigrant sentiment was very strong, especially during the Great Depression where jobs were scarce.
President Franklin D. Roosevelt signing the Philippine Commonwealth and Independence Act
Standing behind him (left to right) are Wyoming Democratic Sen. Joseph O’Mahoney, Secretary of War George H. Dern, Filipino Sen. Elpidio Quirino, Filipino leader and future president Manuel Quezon, Maryland Democratic Sen. Millard E. Tydings, and Chief of the Bureau of Insular Affairs C.F. Cox.
Photograph taken on March 24, 1934
The Philippine Commonwealth and Independence Act, or more commonly known as the Tydings-McDuffie Act allowed for self-governance of the Philippines and Filipino independence from the United States after ten years. It changed the status of Filipinos from "nationals" to "aliens" which meant that they could no longer be able to work legally in the United States. It also established strict limits on the number of Filipino immigrants allowed into the country, only 50 per year. The signing of the document is significant in that although it allowed Filipino independence and freedom in their home country, many American Filipinos were ousted from the country and expelled back to the Philippines.
Standing behind him (left to right) are Wyoming Democratic Sen. Joseph O’Mahoney, Secretary of War George H. Dern, Filipino Sen. Elpidio Quirino, Filipino leader and future president Manuel Quezon, Maryland Democratic Sen. Millard E. Tydings, and Chief of the Bureau of Insular Affairs C.F. Cox.
Photograph taken on March 24, 1934
The Philippine Commonwealth and Independence Act, or more commonly known as the Tydings-McDuffie Act allowed for self-governance of the Philippines and Filipino independence from the United States after ten years. It changed the status of Filipinos from "nationals" to "aliens" which meant that they could no longer be able to work legally in the United States. It also established strict limits on the number of Filipino immigrants allowed into the country, only 50 per year. The signing of the document is significant in that although it allowed Filipino independence and freedom in their home country, many American Filipinos were ousted from the country and expelled back to the Philippines.