The Emergence of Yellow Power

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The common perspective of the civil rights movement is often seen from one angle: and that is the African American civil rights movement towards racial equality. And though this movement had significant historical context in American history, the pursuits of other minorities such as the Asian American civil rights movement are often undermined and overlooked. Yet, the Asian American movement surpassed the efforts of the African American movement despite the social and cultural obstacles faced with integrating into a new society. Through intrinsic cultural unity and the influences of the African American civil rights movement, the Asian American civil rights movement achieved more success than the African American civil rights movement by identifying with a common goal and creating organizations to combat racial discrimination and government hypocrisy.

Described by journalist Amy Uyematsu as “victims--with less visible scars--of the white institutionalized racism”, Asian Americans faced similar, if not more brutal xenophobia and racism than African Americans especially given the circumstances and historical context. The post-WWII era unified blacks and whites against a common enemy and created an assimilated group that triggered the path towards racial equality--or in other words: the makings of a more equal and integrated society for blacks and whites. However, with post WWII Japanese resentment, the Vietnam War, and the Korean War, impressions of Asian Americans in the United States declined as those for African Americans rose. Moreover, the voice of Asian Americans often went unheard as they assimilated into a “White democracy”. As a result, the emergence of the “Yellow Power” movement began as a direct influence from...

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...g/pages/naacp-history>.

Nittle, Nadra Kareem. "Asian-American Civil Rights Movement – History of the Asian-American Civil Rights Movement." Race Relations. Web. 29 Mar. 2011. .

"Phil Hayasaka." UW Departments Web Server. Web. 29 Mar. 2011. .

"Sei Fuji v. California." Scribd. Web. 29 Mar. 2011. .

Uyematsu, Amy. "The Emergence of Yellow Power In America." Web. .

"What Was the 1965 Hart-Cellar Immigration Act? - Illegal Immigration - ProCon.org." Immigration ProCon.org - What Are the Solutions to Illegal Immigration in America? Web. 29 Mar. 2011. .

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