Discovery
 Fareeha Khan Seminar A

    The George Mason University campus can be considered the epitome of the vast variety of people and cultures that are attracted to come to the U.S. because of the allure of opportunity and acceptance. However, upon arrival, realistically speaking, the dream is nothing but a dream. Immigration laws, racial tensions, war. What one may keep faith in, however, are the advancements that humankind is possible of making. Despite how seemingly impossible it may look, improvement is evident by looking at the progression of the past century. The Filipino migration history is a prime example. Ranking as one of the top 10 countries that send workers to foreign countries for employment, the Philippines and the U.S. have had an interconnected past in the last century. They provided a majority of the labor at times for rigorous jobs across the country yet they faced racism and manmade barricades that were intended to put an end to their presence in America. However, they proved they could prevail and make their efforts acknowledged.

    Lisa O’Connor, a stay at home mother of four that represents a diverse array of nationalities, is able to send her children to get an education through an advantageous public school system and enjoy her hobby of fossil hunting all because of her father’s migration to America from the Philippines in the midst of World War II. At the young age of 12 he and his family were a part of the lucky wave of immigrants that left the war zone on a naval ship. From 1920 to 1950, the O’Connors and many others arrived in the U.S. in a populated wave of Filipinos avoiding death and poor economic opportunity. An eagerness to work, study, and succeed still did not prevent a plethora of obstacles from making the path to citizenship and acceptance a long, winding road.

    Seeking oversea jobs has been a prevalent part of the Filipino culture in the past several decades. The Filipinos were able to supply a hefty majority of laborers in the agricultural fields of America during the 20th century. The first documented wave of immigrants from the Philippines came in 1906 and landed in Hawaii. They were mainly single men who were skilled to work in fields such as agriculture.


Map of the Philippines

 From 1911 to 1920 nearly 3000 Filipino workers arrived annually in Hawaii (Castles 106). Anti-foreigner sentiments in the air made it a difficult settlement for most families. America attempted to minimize the allotted number of immigrants allowed into the U.S. by creating the 1924 Immigration Act. This act defined Filipinos as neither aliens nor U.S. citizens, forcing them to work rigorous weeks in a country without any benefits or acknowledgment. However employment prospects were not hard to find at the time. The 1924 Immigration Act strictly prohibited the Japanese from immigrating to the U.S. Due to this law, many Japanese workers began to strike. The steep and sudden decrease in the availability of Japanese labor worried the west coast agricultural field. The Filipinos were very favorable for employment because they were paid the least out of all the ethnic groups that worked in agricultural fields at that time. Filipinos were employed in the states of Hawaii and California as well as in the salmon cannery factories in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska. This created tension in the U.S. as people of other races faced fewer job opportunities.

An outbreak of racial riots began in 1929 on October 24th in Exeter, California. “I was shocked. At the time, I didn’t feel I was objectionable,” said Victor Merina, describing his childhood during a period so plagued by racial tension (Asian American Experiences in the United States, 46). On January 11th, 1930 the most damaging riot took place in Watsonville, California.

The predominately Caucasian town of Watsonville was struggling with major anti-Filipino sentiment for some time. The Northern Monterey Chamber of Commerce helped create anti-Filipino resolutions. The riot occurred when a group of Filipinos rented out a dance hall in Palm Beach. Citizens were outraged by the fact that Filipino men would be dancing with white women. A group of 500 Watsonville Americans raided the dance club, beating the Filipinos viciously. One man died in the raid. The Filipino headquarters were destroyed. Rioters attempted to justify their actions by making such claims as the Filipinos were undercutting wages (Migration Information).

Filipino presence caused so much controversy because they were taking jobs from Americans. In addition, “The Filipino presence was blamed for the decline of wages of fig, lettuce, and asparagus harvesters” (Philippine History Site). Throughout California, the contempt held by Americans for the Filipino’s presence ripped the state apart. Laborers and lobbyists worked together to create a resolution to ban Filipino immigration, just as the 1924 Immigration Act restricted Japanese and Chinese migration. In 1929 California called for congressional action. Coinciding with the start of the Great Depression, the Repatriation Act was enacted in 1935. It was only successful to an extent however, since most Filipinos chose to stay in California. Only 2,190 Filipinos actually returned to the Philippines.

The Great Depression marked the height of Filipino exclusion in America. During a time of intense racial terrorism and threatening economical turmoil, Filipinos had an especially difficult time. Many Filipinos were laid off in order to create jobs for Caucasian Americans. In 1929 when the Great Depression began with the “Black Tuesday” stock market crash, immigration from the Philippines saw a significant decline. In 1934 the Tydings-McDuffe law, also known as the Philippines Independence Act, set up the constitution for a ten-year plan in which the Philippines gained freedom from the U.S. The act renamed all Filipino-American residents as aliens and they were no longer considered legally able to work in America.

The U.S. also instated 50 Filipino immigrants per year to fulfill a quota. It was a long awaited move by much of the country. Several bills had been presented to Congress to prevent Filipino presence in the U.S. since the early 1920s. However both the Welch bill in 1928 and the Shortridge bill in 1930 failed to pass, in turn failing to stop Filipino immigration. It seemed that the only way to exclude Filipinos would be to make the Philippines an independent nation. With the help of Manuel L. Quezon, the leader of the Nationalist Party in the Philippines, the act was revised to make the transition to independence a peaceful one. These efforts were effective in ridding U.S. control of naval bases in the Philippines, but life was still a struggle for Filipinos living in America. The amount of impediments obstructing Filipino’s quality of life in America continued to grow, which is why so many Filipino immigrants would go back to the Philippines once they had saved enough money.

In 1937 World War II began. This was a time of change for the entire country. As the homeland had become a war zone, the U.S. once again experienced an influx of Filipinos escaping the destruction and death caused by massively disparaging weapons. Filipinos were banned from joining the army until 1942 when Franklin D. Roosevelt declared them able to be drafted. Many joined and fought in America and Asia and also supported the U.S. in mobilization efforts.

Despite the brutality they faced while living in the country, Filipinos saw an opportunity to put effort into bringing an end to a savage war. Their dedication and support was not overlooked by surprised Americans that were formerly so disgusted by their presence. The country as a whole experienced a massive shift in attitude as the war continued. In 1940, a more clear-sighted America enacted the Nationality Act, which allowed any noncitizens that served in the military to gain citizenship.

In 1945 World War II ended, prompting the 1946 July 4th Philippine Independence. After this momentous act was passed, 7361 Filipinos came to Hawaii upon request for exemption from immigration laws in order to keep plantations in working order. This is the last documented, massive wave of immigration from the Philippines (Migration Information).

Without the presence of the Filipinos in America an entire century of history would be drastically different. They shaped the country, providing the base of labor for years in the agricultural department. Their dedication to stay and prevail in America is so admirable as they faced such severe obstructions of civil rights with growing racial tensions. Their passive aggressive behavior was a sign of dignity as they never stooped down to the level of destroying American land. Without their presence, America would not have become the country it is today. Lisa O’Connor and her family are living proof of how their efforts paid off in order for their relatives to live peacefully and happily in the states. Their caliber under such circumstances continues to be respected and admired throughout history.