Here to Stay: Uncovering South Asian American History

Today, South Asians are a rapidly growing demographic in the United States, comprising nearly 2 percent of the population. But there was a time in the not-too-distant past when the United States was far less hospitable to South Asian immigrants. In fact, until 1952, only white immigrants could become naturalized American citizens. Yet in the first half of the twentieth century, many states still had thriving communities of South Asians.

In Here to Stay, Geetika Rudra, a second-generation Indian immigrant and American history buff, takes readers on a journey across the country to unearth the little-known histories of earlier generations of South Asian Americans. She visits storied sites such as Oregon's "Hindoo Alley," home to many lumber workers at the turn of the century, and Angel Island, California's immigration hub. She also introduces readers to such inspiring figures as Bhagat Singh Thind, an immigrant who had enlisted in the U.S. Army to serve his adopted country in World War I, but who was later denied citizenship and took his case all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. In turns both serious and joyful, this book vividly reveals how South Asians have always been a vital part of the American tapestry.

Author: Geetika Rudra
Publisher: Rutgers University Press
Published: 03/31/2022
Pages: 214
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 0.75lbs
Size: 8.60h x 5.80w x 1.00d
ISBN13: 9780813584034
ISBN10: 0813584035
BISAC Categories:
- Social Science | Anthropology | Cultural & Social
- History | United States | 20th Century
- Social Science | Ethnic Studies | American | Asian American Studies & Pacific