Chinese Immigrant Labor in 19th-Century America

🎧 Listen now as Lest We Forget History explores Chinese immigrant labor in 19th-century America, examining coercive labor systems and why this overlooked history still matters today. 🎧  Listen Here

In this episode of Lest We Forget History, Lillian Cauldwell examines Chinese immigrant labor and the conditions many Chinese migrants faced in 19th-century America. While slavery in the United States is most often associated with the enslavement of Africans and their descendants, this discussion looks at how Chinese immigrant labor was shaped by coercive systems that restricted freedom and opportunity during a critical period in American history.

In the mid-19th century, particularly after the abolition of the African slave trade, thousands of Chinese migrants were brought to the Americas under so-called “coolie” labor contracts. Although these arrangements were legal on paper, many individuals were deceived, coerced, or forcibly recruited. Once in the United States, they labored under harsh and often dangerous conditions, including on post–Civil War plantations and during the construction of the transcontinental railroad. Some were also trapped in networks of sexual exploitation and human trafficking, with little ability to escape or seek protection.

When discussing the history of slavery and unfree labor in America, it is important to recognize that multiple groups were exploited and abused within systems designed to extract labor while minimizing accountability. Examining these histories together helps provide a more complete understanding of how exploitation persisted in different forms, even as the nation struggled to reconcile its ideals with its practices.