The 1875 Law That Codified Anti-Asian Bias in the U.S.

Long before the \"China Initiative\" or pandemic-era scapegoating, U.S. lawmakers institutionalized discrimination against Asian communities through legislation. The 1875 Page Act — often overlooked in history books — became America’s first federal law restricting immigration based explicitly on race and gender, specifically targeting Chinese women.

Passed amid anti-Chinese sentiment on the West Coast, the law justified exclusion under morally charged pretexts like \"morality\" and \"public health,\" effectively blocking over 100,000 Chinese women from entering the U.S. between 1875 and 1882. This laid groundwork for the broader Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 and decades of systemic racism.

Political historian Dr. Li Wei notes: \"The Page Act weaponized stereotypes, framing immigrants as threats rather than people. Such legal frameworks created cycles of marginalization still felt today.\" Modern parallels remain visible, from visa restrictions to tech sector profiling.

For globally minded readers, this history underscores how policy shapes social divides — and why inclusive dialogue matters in addressing systemic inequities. As cross-border migration surges worldwide, understanding these patterns becomes crucial for building equitable societies. 🌍

Reference(s):

Anti-Asian sentiment was first codified in 1875

cgtn.com