Immigration

Five black-and-white illustrations of stilt houses and boats in a flooded or watery landscape evoke the spirit of St. Malo, reflecting the Philippine legacy and Filipino Louisiana History in The Lowland Villages of Lake Liba, Liberia.

St. Malo, Manila Men, and Filipino Louisiana History | Filipino La

In 1763, a group of Filipino men escaped from a Spanish trade vessel and formed the beginnings of the first permanent Asian-American settlement in the United States, St. Malo, a fishing village thirty miles east of New Orleans in present-day St. Bernard Parish. The above link is to “Filipino La,” a nonprofit organization dedicated to archiving resources on the history of Filipinos in Louisiana. These archives include resources and information on St. Malo, as well as generations of Filipino community well-established in this southern state.

Teacher Resource

Bluff City Chinese – Film and Chinese American History Discussion Guide

This discussion guide includes activities and discussion questions to facilitate learning and conversation on the Chinese American history presented in Bluff City Chinese, a short documentary film directed by Thandi Cai. Bluff City Chinese follows two storytellers of different generations on a mission to share the untold history of Chinese American immigrants in Memphis, Tennessee. The film observes the complex nature of crafting historical narratives from scratch and explores how a yearning for identity can bring generations of people together to break ground for a more hopeful future.

Lesson Plan Teacher Resource

Bluff City Chinese – Film and Community Memory Discussion Guide

This discussion guide includes activities, discussion questions, and a chapter-by-chapter breakdown to facilitate learning and conversation on themes of community memory established in Bluff City Chinese, a short documentary film directed by Thandi Cai. Bluff City Chinese follows two storytellers of different generations on a mission to share the untold history of Chinese American immigrants in Memphis, Tennessee. The film observes the complex nature of crafting historical narratives from scratch and explores how a yearning for identity can bring generations of people together to break ground for a more hopeful future. 

Lesson Plan Teacher Resource
A group of Japanese American people, including men, women, and children, stand in line outside a building under guard by an armed soldier during WWII—a poignant moment of Japanese American incarceration. Courtesy of the National Archives.

Japanese American Incarceration During WWII | National Archives

This page connects to DocsTeach, providing primary resources on Japanese internment during World War II. It includes documents that explore the impact of the order and its historical context, such as President Roosevelt’s Executive Order 9066–the order that led to the internment of Japanese Americans in relocation centers, postings of Exclusion Orders, and pictures of Japanese American families.

Primary Source Teacher Resource
A group of Hmong people in traditional attire and suits pose together outdoors near columns, with one person holding a framed photograph—an image reminiscent of scenes documented in the Encyclopedia of Arkansas.

Hmong | Encyclopedia of Arkansas

The Central Arkansas Library System: Encyclopedia of Arkansas is a free, authoritative source of information about the rich history, geography, and culture of the Arkansas state. Text and media galleries as well as links to external historical resources on Arkansas are available to you through this website. Linked above is an encyclopedia entry on the Hmong ethnic group that contains a summary of their migration to the state as well as links to additional information on the subject. The Encyclopedia of Arkansas also offers information on Chinese, Hindu, and Marshallese communities in the state, as well as biographies of Asian Americans who were relocated to Arkansas during the Japanese American internment program of World War II.

Teacher Resource
A green gravy boat icon sits next to the blue text Southern Foodways Alliance on a white background, reflecting stories of Chinese Grocers and their impact on Southern cuisine.

Chinese Grocers | Southern Foodways Alliance

The Southern Foodways Alliance site is home to a collection of oral histories recorded by Jung Min (Kevin) Kim centered around Chinese grocers in the South. Through interviewing grocery store owners in the Mississippi Delta, Kevin uncovers stories of Chinese immigrants, family legacies, and well-established Chinese-owned grocery stores that have served their communities for decades. Kevin Kim also wrote the “Chinese” entry in the Encyclopedia of Arkansas which can be referenced for further information on Chinese Arkansans. 

Teacher Resource
A red and white graphic of Arkansas’s outline features bamboo stalks and a dogwood flower, bordered by a rough red square—an emblem reflecting the Arkansas Chinese Heritage.

Legal Struggles of Chinese Americans in Arkansas | Arkansas Chinese Heritage Project

This lesson plan invites students to explore the consequences of the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act in Arkansas. Drawing on primary source materials from the National Archives, the Library of Congress, and the Encyclopedia of Arkansas, the lesson plan includes sample readings, discussion questions, and classroom activities designed to fulfill Arkansas state social studies standards for Arkansas History and High School U.S. History.

Lesson Plan
A person stands with hands on hips in the middle of a large cotton field, as if reflecting on themes explored in the Far East Deep South film, gazing toward the horizon under a partly cloudy sky.

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.

Teacher Resource
A red and white graphic of Arkansas’s outline features bamboo stalks and a dogwood flower, bordered by a rough red square—an emblem reflecting the Arkansas Chinese Heritage.

Arkansas Chinese Heritage Project

Founded in 2023 as a joint initiative of the University of Central Arkansas’ Center for Asian Languages and Cultures 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.

Student Resource Teacher Resource
Logo for The Asian American Education Project, featuring the organization’s name inside an open book outline with green, blue, orange, and red edges, symbolizing Asian American education and accessible educational resources for all.

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:

Lesson Plan
The Statue of Liberty viewed from behind, holding a tablet and raising a torch against a pale sky, stands as an enduring symbol in immigration education and America's Immigration History.

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.

Teacher Resource
Low-angle view of the Statue of Liberty against a blue sky with scattered clouds, symbolizing America’s rich immigration history, including waves of Asian immigration.

Asian Immigration | Immigration History

The “Asian Immigration” lesson plan from Immigration History, designed for students in grades 6-12, provides an in-depth look at how severe immigration restrictions from 1790 to 1952 have shaped U.S. society’s attitudes toward Asian immigrants. This lesson explores both the harmful stereotypes that dehumanized Asian Americans and the modern ideal of the highly educated and wealthy “model minority.

Lesson Plan
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