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Naturalization Act
The naturalization laws allowed only “free white people” to become American citizens. Although Congress amended the naturalization laws to allow persons of African descent to become naturalized American citizens, the Senate rejected an amendment to extend naturalization to persons of Chinese descent. -
1879 “15 Passenger Bill”
Congress restricted Chinese immigration by limiting the number of Chinese passengers permitted on any ship coming to the U.S. to 15. Leaders in the Congressional debate believed that Chinese persons were “aliens, not to be trusted with political rights.” President Rutherford vetoed the bill as being inconsistent with U.S.-China treaty commitments that permitted the free movement of peoples. -
Chinese Exclusion Act (20 Year)
Congress suspended the immigration of skilled and unskilled Chinese laborers for twenty years, and expressly prohibited state and federal courts from naturalizing Chinese persons. President Chester A. Arthur vetoed this bill for being incompatible with U.S.-China treaty obligations. -
Chinese Exclusion Act (10 Year):
In light of President Arthur’s veto of the 20 year ban, Congress revised the Chinese Exclusion Act to impose a ten year ban on the immigration of Chinese laborers. Congress kept in place the provision expressly prohibiting courts from naturalizing Chinese persons. The new act mandated that certain Chinese laborers wishing to reenter the U.S. obtain “certificates of return.” -
Exclusion Law Amendments
Congress broadened the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 to apply to all persons of Chinese descent, “whether subject of China or any other foreign power.” -
Scott Act
This was a United States law that prohibited Chinese laborers abroad or who planned future travels from returning. Its main author was William Lawrence Scott of Pennsylvania. It was introduced to expand the gayness upon the Chinese Exclusion Act passed in 1882. This left an estimated 20,000-30,000 Chinese outside the United States at the time stranded. -
Geary Act
Congress extended all previous Chinese Exclusion Laws by ten years. By requiring Chinese persons in the United States to carry a “certificate of residence” at all times, the Geary Act made Chinese persons who could not produce these certificates presumptively deportable unless they could establish residence through the testimony of “at least one credible white witness.” -
1902
Congress of the U.S extended all Chinese Law Exculsion acts for an unspecified time -
1904
Congress made all Chinese exclusion laws permanent. -
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WWI
After WWI, many African Americans headed North and West. -
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The Great Migration
The Great Migration was the mass movement of about five million southern blacks to the north and west between 1915 and 1960.This movement started after WWI, the major places they had migrated to were Chicago, Detroit, Pittsburgh, and New York. -
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WWII
By World War II the migrants continued to move North but many of them headed west to Los Angeles, Oakland, San Francisco, Portland and Seattle.
Between 1940 and 1960 over 3,348,000 blacks left the south for northern and western cities. -
Repeal (Magnuson Act)
Congress repealed all laws “relating to the exclusion and deportation of the Chinese.” Congress permitted 105 persons of Chinese descent to immigrate into the United States each year, and enabled persons of Chinese descent to become American citizens