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At one time, Portland had the second largest Chinatown in the US and almost 10% of our population was Chinese. Racist exclusion laws paced significant burdens on Chinese immigration. Many came as “paper sons”—nominal relatives of Chinese merchants who were citizens.
The archival experiences are a glimpse into the harsh discriminatory policies of the time, revealing the resilience and persistence of individuals in pursuit of a better life. Interspersed are also immigrant stories of the present.