Asian-American Movement | Teen Ink

Asian-American Movement

April 4, 2014
By Anonymous

The Asian American Movements in Seattle, Washington during the 1960's to the 1970's. Occurred when Asian-Americans had seen African-Americans discriminated and found themselves to be discriminated as well. The results had given Asian-Americans the same rights everyone else, and they received an apology from president Reagan.

“The injustices and racism exposed by the Vietnam War also helped cement a bond between different Asian groups living in America,”~ Gordon Lee.

“The more we examined our collective histories, the more we began to find a rich and complex past,”~ Gordon Lee.

“Unlike other groups, Japanese Americans were expected to be quiet and behave and thus did not have sanctioned outlets to express the anger and indignation that accompanied their racially subordinated status,”~ Laura Pulido

Amy Tan was born in Oakland, California February 19, 1952. Amy is Asian-American. Amy is a female.Her father and her oldest brother died of brain tumors. She was sick with Lyme disease later in her adult life. She was arrested at 16. Her family was apart of The Joy Luck Club due to her mother having the entire family join. This would later inspire Amy to write The Joy Luck Club. It revealed that she grew up during the period that the stereotype was gaining publicity.

“‘If she had as much talent as she had temper, she’d be famous now.’”- Said by her mother in Two Kinds.This was significant because it sparked Amy Tan to prove to her mother that she could be famous. It reminded me of how difficult it was for Asian-Americans to do much during the period.

“... a different sort of English that relates to family talk, the language I grew up with”- as she recorded in Mother Tongue. This is significant because it shows how language can influence a person. This reminded me of the culture of Asian-Americans during the movement.

“Recently, I was made keenly aware of the different Englishes I do use.”-again recorded by Amy in Mother Tongue.This shows how people can adapt to using different forms of the same language. This showed that Asian-Americans had grown-up with a form of English different than with the English they were taught in school.

Amy Tan wanted to prove people wrong that Asian-Americans could do better in other subjects other than Math, and Science. She instead pushed her self to achieve a Major in English. This showed what the Asian-American movement was about in an easier form to understand/ digest. Amy Tan has written many literary works, but her most famous is The Joy Luck Club.

During this period of discrimination towards Asian-Americans Amy had developed a goal for herself to break the stereotype of Asian-Americans. This entire movement was her inspiration to write. Without it she wouldn't have written so many literary works. The culture of the United States would not be the same without this and other movements.Even her mother was deeply impacted by the movement though she didn't see her daughter’s work and accomplishments.



Similar Articles

JOIN THE DISCUSSION

This article has 0 comments.