Elsa Ying L&S Social Sciences
The Birth of Birthright Citizenship: 19th C. Chinese Immigration
During the 19th century, Chinese Americans’ claims of birthright citizenship when traveling to and from the United States were frequently challenged by immigration officials and the general public. In 1898, the U.S. Supreme Court formally upheld the principle of birthright citizenship through the landmark case United States v. Wong Kim Ark, wherein the citizenship of U.S.-born Chinese American Wong Kim Ark was recognized under the 14th Amendment.
My project investigates how and why the Wong Kim Ark case in particular became the case that affirmed birthright citizenship on the national level, specifically from the perspective of Chinese Americans and their allies. Existing scholarship tends to pay scant attention to the agency and collaboration of the Chinese community in advancing the case. Thus, my research illuminates the role of community organizations like the Chinese Six Companies in San Francisco. Drawing from legal documents, organizational and personal records, and contemporary California newspapers, my project seeks to uncover how the Chinese community conceived of citizenship, as well as what strategies they employed in their fight for citizenship.
Message To Sponsor
Thank you to Wishek for sponsoring my research this summer. Through this experience, I learned so much about the historical research process, from handling archival documents to building my angle for analysis. I am especially grateful I was able to conduct research at the San Bruno National Archives this summer in light of its potential closure. As I continue my research in a year-long senior thesis, I am excited to continue diving deeper into the history of immigration and birthright citizenship.