Multicultural America Project: Immigrants Like Me Essay

            Korea is a country in Asia, located near China, Russia and Japan. As the Korean War ended in 1953, Korea divided into two countries: the People's Republic of Korea to the North and the Republic of Korea to the south, more commonly known as North Korea and South Korea.  Despite having a celebrated cultural legacy, the country has suffered a great deal of economic and political turmoil throughout their history. Immigration to America, which begun in the early 20th century, provided opportunities for Koreans to have a better, more efficient life.

            Koreans that immigrated to America arrived in three groups over the past century. The first wave of Korean immigration was marked on January 13, 1903 when the S.S Gaelic landed into Honolulu Harbor. The boat carried 120 men, women and children: the people who made up the first significant group of Korean Americans. Majority of these people would become low-wage laborers on Hawaii's growing sugar plantations. Over seven thousand Korean immigrants- mostly men, arrived in Hawaii to meet growing labor needs over the next few years.
 
            The Gentlemen's Agreement of 1907 was in informal agreement between the United States and the Empire of Japan. The United States of America would not impose restriction on Japanese immigration, and Japan would
not allow further emigration to the US. Prior to the Gentlemen's agreement, Japanese and Korean wives were not allowed to join their husbands in the new country. A large number of the Korean male laborers ended up marrying "Picture Brides", who were chosen through a process of exchanging photographs between America and Korea. Around 1,000 Korean women immigrated to America as these picture brides. The Immigration Act of 1924 was one of a series of anti-Asion exclusion laws. This act put an end to immigration from Asia, preventing Asian spouses from joining their families in America. Koreans did not immigrate to the United States for over 25 years as a result of the US law.

            Many people who made up this small community of new Korean Americans continued to work from their adopted country to free Korea from Japanese rule. A few leaders of the Korean Independence Movement lived and worked in the US, seeking help from the government in an attempt to free Korea. However, Korea remained under Japanese domination until the US' victory over Japan at the end of World War II.

            During the Korean War which started in 1950 and ended in 1953, the second wave of Korean immigration began. During this time, the brides of US servicemen also arrived in the United States as a result of the War Brides Act of 1946. The War Brides Act allowed alien spouses, natural children, and adopted children of US military personnel to enter the US non-quota immigrants. The McCarran-Walter Act of 1952 allowed Asians to immigrate in  small                 Image: S.S Gaelic

quantities and eventually become citizens of the US. Students and skilled professionals were given preference. Korean immigrants between 1951 and 1964 included war brides, war orphans available for adoption and professional workers and students were a result of these two laws.                                                                                                        


            The passing of the Immigration Act of 1965 was the beginning of the largest wave of immigration from Korea- and the largest wave of immigration from all of Asia.

            Immigrants from around the world including Asia were allowed to enter the United States in vast numbers for the first time in US history. For many years, one out of every three immigrants from Asia was Korean. While the number of Korean immigrants began dropping in the late 1980s, new Korean Americans are still arriving daily.

            Since many of the new immigrants were unable to speak English fluently, often, they were not able to work in the professions in which they were practicing in Korea. Many could not find jobs as doctors, engineers, lawyers, architects, and other jobs of similar categories. As a result of this, many new immigrants made the decision to open their own small businesses. Examples of these businesses include Korean-owned greengrocers, restaurants, and dry cleaners. Although it may seem like Korean Americans have found easy success, they have worked extremely hard to find this success. Working gruelling 18-hour days, 7 days a week, and sacrificing many comforts in an attempt to help their families, especially their children.

            Korean American communities are found throughout the United States today. The areas with        the most Korean Americans include Los Angeles, New York City, and the Washington D.C/Northern Image: Picture brides in the earlier Virginia metropolitan areas. Korean Americans have all kinds of jobs and can be seen in all walks of 20th century                                      Artists, activists, dancers, doctors, editors, engineers, etc. After over one hundred years, Korean                                                                   Americans are an essential part of the American society.
                                                                                                         

                                                                                                                                                                  Image: Korean War Brides