Masters Thesis

Examining the permeability of exempt classes of the Chinese Exclusion Act

During the period of Chinese exclusion (1882-1943), Chinese students were the most numerous among foreign students in U.S. universities. This thesis explores Gainesville, Florida and the University of Florida as a site of historical excavation of Chinese American history and more broadly Asian American studies in the U.S. South. It follows the lives of two Chinese students, Yick Kuen (Y.K.) Wong and Len Bo (L.B.) Tan, as they entered the U.S. by way of the port of San Francisco and their journeys across the continental U.S. to attend school at the University of Florida. Their existence and purpose are captured within the master narratives of Chinese American history and Chinese students n the U.S., and their connection to the history of Florida and the U.S. South are offered. This thesis concludes with a summary of their lives after leaving Gainesville and the University of Florida and the need to always question the master narratives we are told.

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