Becoming American

Shawn Wong The new Bill Moyers series examines the Chinese experience in America
Edited by Jennifer Fletcher

In the 1840s they came by boat, a frightening journey across the wide Pacific. Today, they come by jet, a few hours' flight to a new life.

For more than 150 years, the Chinese -- like other immigrants to this country -- have pursued the American dream. Theirs is a compelling tale of struggle and triumph, separation and assimilation -- a saga that has largely been left out of history books.

In the new three-part series Becoming American: The Chinese Experience, which premieres Tuesday, March 25 at 9 p.m. on WHYY TV12, veteran journalist Bill Moyers explores this dramatic portion of America's history and confronts myths about the Chinese in America that have flourished in the void.

Becoming American examines two landmark pieces of American legislation: the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, which marked the first time the U.S. ever banned a group of people based on race or nationality, and the Immigration Reform Act of 1965, which allowed Asians and other non-Europeans to immigrate to America in record numbers.

The series features interviews with historians, recent arrivals and the descendents of early immigrants and concludes with recent Chinese immigrants and Chinese Americans who have lived here for generations talking about their role in the American experience.

When Moyers was a young presidential aide, he stood at the foot of the Statue of Liberty as President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the 1965 immigration bill. "I have watched America's complexion change as a result of that legislation...and it has raised for me a provocative issue," Moyers says. "What, exactly, does it mean to 'become' American? Looking through the lens of the Chinese experience magnifies these questions at the heart of America's future."

Becoming American: The Chinese Experience premieres Tuesday, March 25 at 9 p.m. on WHYY TV12. At 10:30 p.m. following each episode, Moyers interviews prominent Chinese Americans about their life and work in Becoming American: Personal Journeys.