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Birth in China
My name is Nianzu Wang. My birth and childhood were both in poverty. My father left for America to support me and my mother back in China. Meanwhile, me and my mother were living in a small and dirty hut and food is scarce. I had next to none education and I worked for a farmer everyday for around 18 hours just to make ends meet for me and my mother. I promised myself I`d get out of here as soon as I could but I couldn`t abandon my mother. I was desperately longing for another shot at life. -
Angel Island
After 20 years living in China, I set out for America to support my mother. After the boat trip, I arrived at Angel Island. While there, there was a long and meaningless series of questions. Their main goal though was to find out if I was an American citiczen. Of course I had to stretch the truth a little bit though. I told them about my father who lives here and I explained my mother`s situation also hoping for sympathy. Luckily, they released my into the country and I seached for a job. -
Gold Mines
I could not find any work so I went to the gold mines. When I got there I spent almost all of the money I had on equipment and started digging for gold. Out here there are a lot of Chinese men also hoping to strike it rich. The panning however is very difficult. It takes a lot of patience and skill but I will do anything to get gold because life is very hard here as it was in China. I do not eat much or have a nice place to stay but I keep trying everyday. -
Transcontinental Railroad
After a long time of worthless labor in the filthy gold mines, I decided to find a real job so I turned to the new Transcontinental Railroad being built. it is a rough and physically demanding job but I know I can do it well. Right now, we are going through the Sierra Nevada Mountains and we are not making progress. It is about a foot a day. But, it is still a job and I am able to supprot myself. -
Living in a Tenement
Since working on the Railroad, I had gotten married and me and my wife now have a son but we are all living in a small one room apartment. It isn`t very challenging fitting in for just the three of us but it is still expensive for just my small salary. We don`t exactly have an abundance of food either. Despite all of these things though, I am happy to be in America. I`ve come so far from the hut I lived in as a child. -
Chinese Exclusion Act
The Chinese Exclusion Act has affected my family greatly. Because my son recently married a non US Citizen, they will have to leave for China soon because the government is not allowing immigration of Chinese and not allowing Chinese to become American citizens. Me and my wife are scared because we cannot work in our old age and my son supported us. This accursed law has affected the whole Chinese community greatly.
