The Asian American Women Who Fought to Make Their Mark in WWII
They worked as pilots, translators, guerrilla fighters and more.
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They worked as pilots, translators, guerrilla fighters and more.
Asian American women played a critical part in America’s war effort during World War II. Coming from diverse backgrounds including Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Filipino they served in important roles ranging from pilots and translators to factory workers and guerrilla fighters.
Yet they worked on behalf of a country that was far from welcoming. From the time of their arrival in the mid 19th century, people of Asian descent were denied basic citizenship and voting rights for at least a century. For Japanese American women hoping to contribute to the war effort, the 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor ratcheted up barriers even further, as entire Japanese communities faced intense discrimination and incarceration in isolated prison camps. “For many, the impetus to serve came as a res
Updated on May 11, 2021 at 7:50 am
Hazel Ying Lee was one of the first Chinese American women to fly for the U.S. military.
Hazel Ying Lee, one of the first Chinese American women to fly for the military after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, was forced one day to make an emergency landing in a field in Texas when the engine of her training aircraft died.
She got out to see a farmer coming at her with a pitchfork, she told her fellow pilots that night on line in the mess hall at Avenger Field in Sweetwater.
He believed she was Japanese, recalled one of those pilots, Virginia Luttrell Krahn, in a 1997 oral history archived at Texas Women’s University’s Women’s Collection. “And Hazel said, No, I am an American. I am an American, Krahn recounted. The farmer didn t believe her.
Lower East Side History Month kicks off its 8th year of celebrating the diverse history of the LES with events and activities around the neighborhood throughout the month of May. This week’s highlights include a “Mamas with Chutzpah Virtual Walking Tour” from the Museum at Eldridge Street, a virtual discussion with author Paul Kaplan about his book, “Jewish New York: A History and Guide to Neighborhoods, Synagogues and Eateries” from the Lower East Side Jewish Conservancy and a MOCAKIDS Meet & Greet, from the Museum of Chinese in America, with award-winning author Julie Leung, who will read here new book, The Fearless Flights of Hazel Ying Lee, about the first Chinese American woman to fly for the U.S. military.
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Too often, Asian American Pacific Islanders are either missing from children s books or are depicted using narrow stereotypes. However, all children should be able to see themselves represented in the stories they read and should also see characters who are different from them.
The rise in violent attacks against Asian Americans of late has marked the need for Americans of all ages and ethnicities to learn more about the history of these communities.
In an interview with the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center, anti-bias educator and elementary teacher Liz Kleinrock encouraged teachers to think about how they are presenting Asian American history. She reminded educators that all students need to form positive self-identities and respect those of others. To help with this goal, Kleinrock urged teachers to first explore the resilience, culture and contributions of Asian Americans before starting to ta
Beyond Stereotypes: 2021 AAPI Books for Young Readers publishersweekly.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from publishersweekly.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.