Blackwell Reference Online

Extract

The Asian American movement was a 1960s social movement for racial equality, social justice, and political empowerment. It sought to attain these goals through an inter-Asian coalition based on a pan-Asian identity and collective action. As such, it was a watershed event for the Asian American community, bringing together activists who had previously engaged in separate struggles in their individual Asian ethnic communities into a social movement that was national in scope. Since then Asian Americans have worked together to advocate for their rights in a multicultural society. Last of the “ethnic consciousness” movements to emerge in the wake of the civil rights movement, the Asian American movement was based on a wholly new ethnic identity. Asian Americans imbued this identity with definition and depth by protesting the stereotypes and caricatures that had diminished them as individuals, replacing them with images that corresponded to reality, and creating a culture that reflected their sensibilities and perspectives. In so doing, Asian Americans have made a significant contribution to the multicultural mosaic that is America. Being Asian American instilled confidence in those who embraced this new identity while simultaneously solving their “identity crisis.” Asian American was a collective identity that transcended the limits of individual Asian ethnic groups to connect with ... log in or subscribe to read full text