HUPING LING. Chinese Chicago: Race, Transnational Migration, and Community since 1870.

Abstract

In her sweeping and nuanced book, Huping Ling traces the history of Chinese in Chicago from the arrival of the three Moy brothers in the 1870s to the multiplicity of communities in which Chinese Chicagoans live today. While the book's main geographical focus is the Midwest, it is intimately linked to a larger, transnational world. Three major themes thread the book: the position of Chinese immigrants in Chicago's complex racial hierarchy, their strong ties to China, and the making of an intricate community with conflicts and shifting loyalties. Guiding readers with landmarks and their significance for transnational history, the author emphasizes space both in Chicago and in the places from which Chinese migrated. Drawing on myriad sources in English and Chinese, Ling shines light on the uniqueness of Chicago and its Chinese communities. The first part of the book provides a transnational perspective, giving an account of the long history of migration to and from Guangdong, while highlighting the importance of Canton in southern China. We learn of the central role played by the Moys and the key site from which they emigrated, Taishan County. The book situates Chinese arrivals in the broader history of Chicago and its racial geography. Addressing the relocation of Chinatown, Ling underscores Chinese survival strategies in a climate of increased racial suspicion and divisiveness at the turn of the twentieth century.