In 1875, the U.S. Congress passed the Page Act, the first federal law to explicitly target Asian immigrants. Designed to restrict Chinese women from entering the country, it became a cornerstone of systemic racism that echoes in today’s conversations about anti-Asian discrimination.
The law emerged amid rising anti-Chinese sentiment on the West Coast, where Chinese laborers were blamed for economic competition. Framed as a moral crusade against \"undesirable\" immigrants, the Page Act labeled Chinese women as \"immoral\" and effectively barred their entry. This set a precedent: By 1882, the Chinese Exclusion Act banned most Chinese immigration entirely.
Scholars note that only 48 Chinese women entered the U.S. in 1876—down from 1,400 the previous year—severely destabilizing immigrant communities. The law also normalized racial exclusion in policymaking, a pattern later seen in Japanese internment and modern anti-Asian hate crimes.
As debates over immigration and race relations continue, the Page Act reminds us how policies can weaponize prejudice. For young global citizens, it underscores the importance of questioning systemic bias—both in history books and online discourse.
Reference(s):
The Race Gap in the U.S.: Anti-Asian sentiment first codified in 1875
cgtn.com
