Early Chinese Immigrants Faced Prejudice in Bloomington

Summary

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Chinese immigrants began arriving to Bloomington in the mid- 1870s, and for more than a quarter century they often faced ridicule, harassment and ostracism, both on the street and in the halls of government.

Bloomington newspapers referred to these newly arrived immigrants using a host of derogatory terms, such as celestials (since China was known as the Celestial Kingdom), as well as Mongolians, heathens, "little brown men," and even "washees," as most worked at laundries (which in turn were called "washee-washees"). Mention was also made of pig tails, "almond eyes" and "hitting the opium pipe."

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Extract

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Early Chinese Immigrants Faced Prejudice in Bloomington

Ah Moo Long's, Bloomington's first known Chinese laundry, shows up in the city directory as early as 1875, and was originally located at 113 E. Jefferson St.

In January 1884, a hack driver by the n...

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