Asia in St. Louis: Stories of Community Building and Resilience
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Asia in St. Louis: Stories of Community Building and Resilience
A forum on the contributions of the Asian American community to St. Louis
Danforth University Center (DUC), Goldberg Formal Lounge |
What was the experience of Asian American migrants to the Midwest in the late 19th century? What did Chinatown in St. Louis look like before its demolition in the 1960s? What happened to Japanese Americans who escaped interment camps and settled in St. Louis during World War II? How did the Asian American immigrants establish successful businesses with the support of the local community? How did national developments in race relations and social activism in the 20th century influence Asian Americans in St. Louis?
In anticipation of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, and in recognition of the historical and cultural contributions of individuals within the AAPI community in St. Louis, Washington University Libraries and the Center for Diversity and Inclusion of Washington University invite you to join us for a forum on the history of Asian Americans in St. Louis. With the support of the Missouri Humanities Council, Washington University students and staff have created a series of webpages using GIS (Geographic Information System) technology to showcase the contributions of the Asian American community on St. Louis, called the “Asia in St. Louis” project.
Guest speaker Anna Crosslin will reflect on the evolution of St. Louis’ Asian American community, sharing stories from her private and professional experience in helping bring greater visibility to the Asian American community. The Asia in St. Louis project members will present their StoryMaps, which focus on the arrival of early Chinese immigrants, urban life in St. Louis’ first Chinatown (Hop Alley), the relocation of Japanese American students to WashU during World War II, and how national developments in social justice influenced Asian Americans in St. Louis.
Join the Center for the Study of Race, Ethnicity & Equity (CRE2) for a lecture and discussion with Walter Johnson, author of The Broken Heart of America: St. Louis and the Violent History of the United States (2020) which was a finalist for both the Los Angeles Times prize for History and the National Circle Book Critics award for Nonfiction. Johnson is a founding member of the Commonwealth Project, which brings together academics, artists, and activists in an effort to imagine, foster, and support revolutionary social change, beginning in St. Louis. Reception to follow.
