Resource Guides

"Asian American History in Arkansas and Beyond" June 2025

 All materials included in our workshop, "Foundations of East Asian Civilization: Confucianism, Shinto, and Buddhism," are linked here!

Presentations

Welcome and AAPI Intro
Chinese Grocers
Marshallese

General Resources

Teach Immigration History
This site offers a curated collection of primary sources, lesson plans, and contextual timelines on U.S. immigration history. Developed under the direction of Dr. Madeline Hsu—an expert in Asian American Studies and editor of Asian American History: A Very Short Introduction—the resource provides accessible, classroom-ready materials with a strong focus on Asian American experiences and broader immigration narratives.

Arkansas State Standards:

  • H.4.8.11 – Examine the causes and effects of immigration after 1870, including push-pull factors, ethnic enclaves, the assimilation process, and rise of nativism through law (e.g., Chinese Exclusion Act).
  • H.1.ARH.8 – Discuss the social and cultural changes in Arkansas during the turn of the century, including the influx of immigrants and immigrant communities.
  • H.5.USH.23 – Analyze effects of domestic policies on Americans in marginalized groups.

The Asian American Education Project
Founded in 2021 by Stewart and Patricia Kwoh, using learning resources developed in partnership with the UCLA Asian American Studies Center, Stanford University SPICE and PBS Learning media, this site contains over 48 individual lesson plans for grades K-12 focused on various aspects of Asian American history, organized by time period, with fantastic search features! Here are a few with specific connections to the South:

Arkansas State Standards:

  • H.4.8.11 – Examine the causes and effects of immigration after 1870, including push-pull factors, ethnic enclaves, the assimilation process, and rise of nativism through law (e.g., Chinese Exclusion Act).
  • H.4.8.2 – Analyze the development of regional tensions prior to the Civil War, including immigration and westward migration.
  • H.1.ARH.7 – Discuss social events and issues in Arkansas surrounding discrimination and marginalization, including school segregation.
  • H.1.ARH.8 – Discuss the social and cultural changes in Arkansas during the turn of the century, including music, food, and the influx of immigrants and immigrant communities.

Chinese Resources

Arkansas Chinese Heritage Project
Founded in 2023 as a joint initiative of the University of Central Arkansas’ Center for Chinese Language and Culture and the Chinese Association of Arkansas, the Arkansas Chinese Heritage Project documents the experiences of Chinese Americans in Arkansas through oral histories, archival research, and educational resources. The site includes lesson plans on the Chinese Exclusion Act and the 1869 Memphis Planters Convention, offering students a localized lens on national conversations about immigration, labor, and race in American history.

Arkansas State Standards:

  • H.1.ARH.8 – Discuss the social and cultural changes in Arkansas during the turn of the century, including the influx of immigrants and immigrant communities.
  • H.1.ARH.7 – Discuss social events and issues in Arkansas surrounding discrimination and marginalization.
  • H.4.8.11 – Examine the causes and effects of immigration after 1870, including ethnic enclaves, the assimilation process, and rise of nativism through law (e.g., Chinese Exclusion Act).
  • H.4.8.2 – Analyze the development of regional tensions prior to the Civil War, including immigration and labor.

Far East Deep South – Film and Discussion Guide
This discussion guide includes a timeline, discussion questions, activities, and a chapter-by-chapter breakdown to facilitate learning and conversation on themes established in Far East Deep South, an award-winning film directed by Larissa Lam and produced by Baldwin Chiu. Far East Deep South follows a Chinese American family’s journey to the Mississippi Delta, where they uncover surprising family revelations and explore the complex history of Chinese immigrants in the segregated South. The film highlights the deep connections between the Chinese and Black communities during the Jim Crow era and the lasting impact of discriminatory immigration policies.

Arkansas State Standards:

  • H.1.ARH.7 – Discuss social events and issues in Arkansas surrounding discrimination and marginalization.
  • H.1.ARH.8 – Discuss the social and cultural changes in Arkansas during the turn of the century, including the influx of immigrants and immigrant communities.
  • H.5.USH.23 – Analyze effects of domestic policies on Americans in marginalized groups, including progress of civil rights and immigration-related policies.

Japanese Resources

Rising Above in Arkansas - Japanese American Incarceration During WWII
This digital project explores the history and legacy of Japanese American incarceration at Rohwer and Jerome during World War II. Using maps, archival materials, photographs, and spatial storytelling, the site helps students visualize how thousands of Japanese Americans were forcibly relocated and confined from 1942–1946. 

Arkansas State Standards:

  • H.1.ARH.11 – Investigate social, economic, and political effects of World War II on various segments of the population in Arkansas, including Japanese-American internment camps.
  • H.5.USH.8 – Analyze the social, economic, and political effects of World War II on the American people, including Japanese-American internment camps.
  • H.5.USH.23 – Analyze effects of domestic policies on Americans in marginalized groups, including increased recognition of civil rights and the legacy of exclusion.
  • G.1.6.1 – Analyze the locations and environmental and cultural characteristics of various societies using geographic tools and spatial representations. 

Butler Center – The Japanese American Experience in WWII Arkansas
Hosted by the Bobby L. Roberts Library of Arkansas History & Art (part of the Central Arkansas Library System), this resource offers a concise overview of Japanese American incarceration during World War II. Its centerpiece is the Rosalie Santine Gould – Mabel Jamison Vogel Collection, featuring hundreds of artworks created by Japanese Americans imprisoned at the Rohwer and Jerome camps in Arkansas. These paintings and drawings offer powerful visual testimony to life behind barbed wire and are ideal for interdisciplinary lessons combining history, art, and civil rights.

Arkansas State Standards:

  • H.5.USH.8 – Analyze the social, economic, and political effects of World War II on the American people, including Japanese-American internment camps.
  • H.1.ARH.11 – Investigate social, economic, and political effects of World War II on various segments of the population in Arkansas, including Japanese-American internment camps.
  • H.5.USH.23 – Analyze effects of domestic policies on Americans in marginalized groups, including the treatment of Japanese Americans.
  • H.2.6.10 – Analyze the contributions of major empires and civilizations of the world. This may include art and cultural expression during times of conflict and displacement.

DENSHO Archive
Densho is a leading digital archive and educational platform dedicated to preserving the histories of Japanese Americans incarcerated during World War II. The site features over 900 oral histories, along with tens of thousands of photos, documents, letters, and newspapers. It also offers age-appropriate lesson plans and classroom resources, making it one of the most comprehensive tools for teaching about Japanese American incarceration.

Arkansas State Standards:

  • H.5.USH.8 – Analyze the social, economic, and political effects of World War II on the American people, including Japanese-American internment camps.
  • H.1.ARH.11 – Investigate social, economic, and political effects of World War II on various segments of the population in Arkansas, including Japanese-American internment camps.
  • H.5.USH.23 – Analyze effects of domestic policies on Americans in marginalized groups, including civil rights and internment.

Time of Fear
Time of Fear is a documentary published in 2004 by PBS that tells the story of Japanese Americans incarcerated at the Rohwer and Jerome camps in southeast Arkansas during World War II. Featuring rare home movie footage and interviews with former incarcerees and local residents, the film explores themes of racism, fear, and resilience. It offers a powerful lens into the intersections of race, place, and memory in one of the most segregated regions of the rural South.

Arkansas State Standards:

  • H.5.USH.8 – Analyze the social, economic, and political effects of World War II on the American people, including Japanese-American internment camps.
  • H.1.ARH.11 – Investigate social, economic, and political effects of World War II on various segments of the population in Arkansas, including Japanese-American internment camps.
  • H.1.ARH.7 – Discuss social events and issues in Arkansas surrounding discrimination and marginalization.
  • H.5.USH.23 – Analyze effects of domestic policies on Americans in marginalized groups, including civil rights and exclusionary practices.

Relocation, Arkansas
Published in 2017 by filmmaker Vivienne Schiffer—daughter of former McGehee mayor Rosalie Gould—Relocation, Arkansas explores the long-term effects of Japanese American incarceration in Arkansas. The documentary follows the generation born after the camps closed, the stories of those who chose to remain in Arkansas, and the surprising relationship between the Japanese American community and Mayor Gould (who served from 1983 to 1995). Through themes of race, healing, and cross-cultural understanding, the film offers a deeply human perspective on a legacy of exclusion and resilience.

Arkansas State Standards:

  • H.5.USH.8 – Analyze the social, economic, and political effects of World War II on the American people, including Japanese-American internment camps.
  • H.1.ARH.11 – Investigate social, economic, and political effects of World War II on various segments of the population in Arkansas, including Japanese-American internment camps.
  • H.1.ARH.7 – Discuss social events and issues in Arkansas surrounding discrimination and marginalization.

Refuge Resources

Virtual Vietnam Archive
Hosted by Texas Tech University, "The Vietnam Center and Sam Johnson Vietnam Archive collects and preserves the documentary record of the Vietnam War, and supports and encourages research and education regarding all aspects of the American Vietnam Experience."

Arkansas State Standards:

  • H.5.USH.25 – Examine reasons for and consequences of United States involvement in foreign conflicts.
  • H.5.USH.27 – Examine the social and economic effects of globalization on the United States, including shifts related to foreign policy and immigration.
  • H.5.USH.23 – Analyze effects of domestic policies on Americans in marginalized groups.

Marshall Islands Story Project: Oral Histories
A collaboration between the College of the Marshall Islands and Loyola University Maryland, this project preserves Marshallese culture by collecting oral histories and traditional stories from elders. Marshallese students play an active role in documenting and sharing these narratives. The archive consists of a collection of photos, videos, and text, as well as additional resources to support Marshallese education.

Arkansas State Standards:

  • HS.5.G.1 – Analyze a variety of factors that create cultural regions and affect spatial patterns and movements of various cultures.
  • H.5.USH.23 – Analyze effects of domestic policies on Americans in marginalized groups.
  • H.2.6.16 – Analyze effects of cultural interactions and connections on civilizations over time, including oral tradition and education.

Hope for a Better Tomorrow | Marshallese Educational Initiative 
Created by the nonprofit Marshallese Educational Initiative (MEI), this exhibit features artwork by Marshallese youth in Springdale, Arkansas. The drawings reveal the generational trauma caused by U.S. nuclear weapons testing in the Marshall Islands. Through powerful visual storytelling, the exhibit raises awareness about the lasting impact of nuclear testing and highlights the voices of Marshallese youth living in diaspora.

Arkansas State Standards:

  • H.5.USH.23 – Analyze effects of domestic policies on Americans in marginalized groups.
  • HS.5.G.3 – Evaluate societal changes resulting from cultural diffusion and cultural convergence.
  • HS.4.G.4 – Analyze the impact of migration on society (e.g., cultural and social effects).
  • H.2.6.16 – Analyze effects of cultural interactions and connections on civilizations over time.