SF History Association slideshow and talk: Judy Yung on Angel Island

Guest Speaker: Judy Yung, coauthor of Angel Island: Immigrant Gateway to America

Tuesday, May 31, 2011
St. Philip’s Catholic Church, 725 Diamond (at 24th St.), Noe Valley
Doors Open: 7 p.m.

From 1910 to 1940, an island in San Francisco Bay was at the center of the 20th century's greatest debates over immigration. The Angel Island Immigration Station, known as the "Ellis Island of the West," was the detention center for nearly half a million people who sailed through the Golden Gate to
pursue the American Dream or find safety from war, poverty, and religious and political persecution. For some, this was the entry point to their new lives in America. For others, it was a prison and their final destination before being sent home. Some were excluded and deported because of their race; others were found to be physically unfit, illiterate, or "likely to become a public charge.”

Historians Erika Lee and Judy Yung ― both descendants of Angel Island immigrants ― uncovered the stories of these surprisingly diverse immigrants through extensive new research, immigration records, oral histories, and inscriptions on the barrack walls. Their experiences on the island and
beyond — illustrated by beautiful archival photographs—reveal how Angel Island represents both the best and worst of American history.

Judy Yung is Professor Emerita of American Studies at UC Santa Cruz. Her other books include Island: Poetry and History of Chinese immigrants on Angel Island, 1910-1940, and Unbound Feet: A Social History of Chinese Women in San Francisco.

Doors open at 7 p.m. with refreshments and a S.F. historical book sale, while the meeting begins at 7:30 p.m. sharp. There is a $5 admission for nonmembers. Limited parking in schoolyard (entrance on Elizabeth St.), but additional parking is available on surrounding streets. Muni: 24-Divisadero and 48-Quintara stop at Castro and 24th streets; 35-Eureka stops at Diamond and 24th streets.