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Historical Documents Online: Search Hints for Selected Topics

Emigration / Immigration: Chinese

• Chinese Exclusion Acts Case Files, 1880 - 1960
• Immigration Investigations Files Relating to the Enforcement of the Chinese Exclusion Acts 1882 - 1943

For information on other Chinese Immigration sources at the National Archives, please see:

• Research Topics: Chinese Immigration

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• Chinese Exclusion Acts Case Files, 1880 - 1960
  245 multi-page documents have been digitized from this series. The records document the entry into the United States of Chinese aliens and the reentry of U.S. citizens of Chinese ancestry under the Chinese Exclusion Acts. The Act of 1882, implementing the Treaty of 1880, established the basis for Chinese exclusion. It suspended immigration of Chinese laborers for ten years and prohibited admission of Chinese to U.S. citizenship. These materials are held by NARA's Northeast Region (New York City, NY).

  Search Hint: To retrieve the 245 digitized documents:

  1. Go to http://www.archives.gov/research/arc/.
  2. Press the Yellow search button to go to the Basic search screen.
  3. Enter Act AND the name of the individual you seek in curly braces in the Keywords box.
  4. Select the limit results radio button for 1000.
  5. Select the box marked Descriptions of Archival Materials linked to digital copies.
  6. Select the location filter for the National Archives at New York City.
  7. Press the Go button.
  8. When hits are returned for your search, view the full result of your hit by selecting the Title link.

  From the Collection:

  
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  ARC Identifier: 278657, Title: "Application of Lawfully Domiciled Chinese Merchant, Teacher, or Student, for Preinvestigation of Status, Form 431"
  

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• Immigration Investigations Files Relating to the Enforcement of the Chinese Exclusion Acts, 1882 - 1943
  Documents have been digitized which relate to the Chinese Exclusion Acts. Most records of immigration investigation files relate to the enforcement of the Chinese Exclusion Acts during the years 1882 - 1943 and are among the records of Immigration and Naturalization Service district offices and United States district and circuit courts. The original act was passed as a temporary measure to restrict "Chinese laborers," but was extended and harshened by later legislation. These materials are held by NARA's  Pacific Region (San Bruno, CA); NARA's Pacific Region (Riverside, CA) and NARA's Pacific Alaska Region (Seattle, WA).
  
  

  Search Hint : To retrieve the 163 digitized documents:

  1. Go to http://www.archives.gov/research/arc/.
  2. Press the Yellow search button to go to the Basic search screen.
  3. Enter Chinese Exclusion Act in the Keywords box.
  4. Select the limit results radio button for 1000.
  5. Select the box marked Descriptions of Archival Materials linked to digital copies.
  6. Select the Location filter for NARA's Pacific Region, (Laguna Nigel,CA); NARA's Pacific Region (San Bruno, CA) and NARA's Pacific Alaska Region (Seattle, WA.).
  7. Press the Go button.
  8. When hits are returned for your search, view the full result of your hit by selecting the Title link.

  From the Collection:

  
  View larger image
  ARC Identifier: 296447, Title: "Photograph of Dr. Sun Yat Sen: "HB Sun Yat Sen, 40, XPI Korea 3-28-10, File no. 140-C", 03/28/1910"
  This photograph is from the only currently known immigration case file for Dr. Sun Yat Sen, first President of the Republic of China, known as the Father of modern China.

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