Chinese migrations

[Randy W]

Just an interesting story, from CNN

 

Meet the black Americans going home to China

 

 

http://i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/161220121300-africanasians6-super-169.jpeg

John (L), Paula and Chelsea ® at the Hakka Folk Culture Museum in Shenzhen.

 

 

 

 

Born in the predominantly African-American neighborhood of Harlem, New York, she was raised by a single mother who looked Chinese.

"When my mother opened the door and told me that dinner is ready, other kids would be very surprised," Paula says. "Sometimes, they'd start using racial slurs."

Madison's father was African-Jamaican and left her mother when she was three.

"My mother always looked sad because she was away from her family," she says. "I've known for my whole life that my grandfather is Chinese. I thought helping my mother find her family would make her happy."

Paula knew that her grandfather had gone to Jamaica from China in 1905 to work on a sugar plantation and after his contract was fulfilled, he stayed in Jamaica to open a store.

She was determined to find out which village he came from and if he had any living relatives in China, but the only clue she had was her grandfather's name: Samuel Lowe.

. . .

Chelsea Hayes was born and raised in San Jose, California.

Hayes' great-grandfather immigrated to Jamaica from Kowloon, Hong Kong, and her grandfather and father were both born in Kingston, Jamaica.

"Growing up with my African-American mother, I always identified myself as a black woman," says the 26-year-old.

But she says her almond-shaped eyes and Asian facial features always had people asking: "What are you?"

"I'd tell them I'm part black, part Chinese, and they would ask me, 'Which side of you is Chinese and which side of you is black?'" Hayes says.

[Randy W]

Now it shows up in the SCMP, with a lot more detail and pictures

From Harlem to China: how an African-American tracked down her Chinese grandfather

When Paula Williams Madison traced her family history, it took her from her home in New York to Jamaica, and on to southern China. Her documentary tells an amazing story of the Hakka diaspora in the early 20th century

Finding Samuel Lowe: From Harlem to China, May 26, 6.30pm-9pm, Asia Society Hong Kong Centre, 9 Justice Drive, Admiralty, tel: 2103 9511; asiasociety.org/hong-kong

The Lowe family reunion in China in December 2012. Photo: courtesy of Samuel Lowe's family

 

 

“I am black and Chinese. If I can find my family, you can too,” she says.

She recommends searching FamilySearch.org, which is historically known as the Genealogical Society of Utah, and has collected family records for more than 100 years.

“These are documents kept by the Mormons and a year ago they released documents on freed slaves. Some 300,000 people are constantly uploading information,” she explains. “Just because you didn’t find information last week you should try again. Mormons also collected Chinese legacy books in China. They have collected them for decades.”

[Randy W]

. . . and a video - https://www.facebook.com/scmp/videos/10156405004164820/

 

An African-American family's Chinese roots

South China Morning Post

about an hour ago ·

From the US to China – how a woman who grew up in New York traced her ancestral roots to Shenzhen.

This video was awarded an Honourable Mention for Excellence in Video Reporting at the The Society of Publishers in Asia Editorial Awards this week.

 

 

 

 

 

https://www.facebook.com/scmp/videos/10156405004164820/