East Asian Americans were the first Asian immigrant group to the United States of America. This group includes Korean Americans, Chinese Americans, Japanese Americans, Vietnamese Americans and other immigrants from East Asia and Southeast Asia and their descendents.

Immigration

---

The first Chinese Americans arrived in New York City on April 12, 1847. Japanese Americans immigrated into Hawaii on February 8, 1885. On January 13, 1903, the first Korean Americans immigrated into the USA. The first Taiwanese American immigrated into the USA sometime in the late 1950's.

Accomplishments

---

East Asian Americans broke new grounds in legislation which promoted equality. On March 28, 1898, Asian Americans born in the USA were granted citizenship by the U.S. Supreme Court in the case of U.S. vs. Wong Kim Ark. This came about from protest of the Chinese American Wong Kim Ark. On November 9, 1909. Asian farmworkers won the right to be paid for their work in amounts equal to those of other groups. On April 17, 1952, East Asian Americans in the Japanese American Citizens League won the right for Asian immigrants to own land. On August 21, 1959, the first East Asian was elected to political office as a state senator, although the first Asian American politician was Dalip Singh Saund.

References

---

Ethnic groups in the United States