Island: Poetry and History of Chinese Immigrants on Angel Island, 1910-1940

It is a bilingual text collection on the Chinese detainees in Angel Island between 1910-40. The 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act, democratically passed by Congress biased against a race, then and now 2020 in the Covid19. Chinese came in “paper son” scheme and those came from China expected the land of the free immediately lost their freedom under barbed wire in Angel Island. They lost their dignity and treated as criminals. Many could not live for the anxiety and stress and killed themselves. Some frustrated ones crafted their poems on the wall for their anger, unjust system and a weak China homeland. This is a dark chapter of shame of American history. This collection from no name Chinese poets reminded the discrimination against Chinese people. My 2010 century dedication event helped me review this history as I rang the giant bronze bell to call the perished ones on Angel Island without angels. Rain kept falling on my face and I could not know it was rain or tears. It is a good book to read and collect in own library

I enjoyed this.