Abstract:  Incidents of hate crimes, attacks, and harassment directed at Asian Americans have skyrocketed during the COVID-19 pandemic. To scholars and students of Asian American history, these patterns are neither new nor surprising. Yet most Americans remain unaware that Asian Americans have long been at the heart of our country’s most racist laws and incidents.  This special issue of Current Context explores this history with a special essay by Professor Cecilia Tsu, an annotated timeline, and primary source activity.

Read the teaching blog for additional ideas for incorporating this history into your classroom.