The term “Oriental” seemed to be a very common word among those who disliked Asians during the immigration period. This word, found insulting by the Asian, refers to goods from Asia and not just the race itself. But some of this discrimination changed when historian, Yuji Ichioka, used a new term to associate with Asians, the word Asian Americans. Two Asian groups that seem to have experienced much of this discrimination are the Chinese and Japanese; mainly the second generation.

The second generation Chinese and Japanese have many things in common as to how they were raised and their experiences as children. Both were told as children that education was a key point of life. That was the way to climb up the ladder and reach the top. But it wasn’t easy. As Asian Americans, they were outcasts in their American schools. A place where they wanted to belong, but were rejected. Both Chinese and Japanese were made fun of at school. Being called “Japs” or “Chinks” were one of the many discriminatory hardships they faced everyday. They were segregated wherever they went. The movie theatre, barber shops, restaurants, and many other public places refused them service

Both the Chinese and Japanese second generations faced similar obstacles in life. From being discriminated by a society where they yearned so much to fit in, and being looked down upon by those who loved and accepted them, they made a name for themselves. Through their trials and tribulations they still found their way up to the top through the mountain of discrimination. The second generation Chinese and Japanese can truly say that they succeeded in their efforts to be successful and fit in. They paved the path for those after them and made America the diverse country that it is today. They opened America’s eyes to the diverse culture that lay within the immigrants that came looking for a better life. They made a name for themselves as Asian Americans and not “Orientals”. They earned a sense of respect for their efforts and patriotism for the country they called home, America. Asian Americans now are just as ambitious as those before them. They truly paved the path that we take with their experiences. Those second generation Asian Americans who we later generations look up to are those that have created such a diverse country where they are on top helping us reach our full potential just as they have. Although discrimination against Asians and Asian Americans still exists, it is to the second generation Asian Americans that we owe our gratitude that America is as diverse as it is today.

The second generation Japanese, Nisei, experienced a quite different experience from the second generation Chinese. Unlike the Chinese, the Japanese were encouraged to continue their education and rise to the top. It was a way for the Japanese to no longer be strangers and be spokespersons for their parents. But even though this is what the Nisei were taught, there was still a generation gap that stood between parents and their children. The Nisei, just like the Chinese, wanted to be more Americanized. They spoke to their friends in English and to their parents in Japanese, but it wasn’t enough to make their parents happy. The Nisei, just like the Chinese, changed their names to American ones that they would use at school. No job was open to any Japanese with a college degree, only the hard labor jobs with low wages. They al

Some topics in this essay:
Chinese Japanese, Asian Americans, Japan Chinese, Japanese Chinese, America Nisei, Harbor Japanese, Generation Japanese, Nisei Chinese, chinese japanese, Week Nisei, Chinese Americanized, asian americans, generation chinese, changed names, generation chinese japanese, american ones, names american ones, continue education, name themselves, paved path, america diverse, american schools, world war ii, changed names american, american ones school,