Breaking Through
At the turn of the new millennium, the national conversation turns to immigration, race, and economic disparity. As the U.S becomes more diverse, yet more divided, a new generation of Asian Americans tackle the question, how do we as a nation move forward together?
Episodes
-
Breaking Through
S2020 E5 - 53m 34s
At the turn of the new millennium, the national conversation turns to immigration, race, and economic disparity. As the U.S becomes more diverse, yet more divided, a new generation of Asian Americans tackle the question, how do we as a nation move forward together?
-
Generation Rising
S2020 E4 - 54m 11s
During a time of war and social tumult, a young generation fights for equality in the fields, on campuses and in the culture, and claim a new identity: Asian Americans. The war’s aftermath brings new immigrants and refugees who expand the population and the definition of Asian America.
-
Good Americans
S2020 E3 - 54m 11s
During the Cold War years, Asian Americans are simultaneously heralded as a Model Minority and targeted as the perpetual foreigner. It is also a time of bold ambition, as Asian Americans aspire for the first time to national political office and a coming culture-quake simmers beneath the surface.
-
A Question of Loyalty
S2020 E2 - 54m 1s
An American-born generation straddles their country of birth and their parents’ homelands.
CORRECTION: Certain errors in a previous version of this program have been corrected, including the statement that the Core Civic South Texas Family Residential Center separates children from their families, which is not the case, and the erroneous use of a photo of a different facility.
-
Breaking Ground
S2020 E1 - 54m 11s
In an era of exclusion and U.S. empire, new immigrants arrive from China, India, Japan, the Philippines and beyond. Barred by anti-Asian laws they become America’s first “undocumented immigrants,” yet they build railroads, dazzle on the silver screen, and take their fight for equality to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Extras + Features
-
Learning Their Asian American Roots at San Quentin Prison
2m 26s
Across the bay from San Francisco State University, where students launched a historic strike for ethnic studies in 1968, Thanh Tran is the graduation speaker in his own Asian American studies class. ROOTS: Restoring Our Original True Selves is a program at San Quentin prison that addresses intergenerational trauma under the motto: “If you know history, you know yourself.”
-
‘If You Were in That Circle, You Are Going to Be Arrested’
1m 35s
Laureen Chew joined the Third World Liberation Front to fight for ethnic studies and educational equity. In 1968, they mounted the longest campus strike in U.S. history. Laureen and a generation of young Asian Americans, many who were first-generation college students, were forever changed.
-
‘We Farmworkers Should Have an Organization of Our Own’
1m 41s
By 1965, the Filipino farmworkers in Delano, California’s grape fields had enough with low pay, no health benefits, and toxic working conditions.
-
Asians Were America’s First “Undocumented Immigrants”
30s
Connie Yu’s family story in the U.S. almost ended at the Angel Island Immigration Station, where her grandmother was detained for over a year, separated from her American-born children. In an atmosphere of nativism and hate, exclusionary laws have made Asians the nation’s first “undocumented immigrants.” Yet those who manage to stay, build families and communities in America.
-
A Louisiana Family Discovers Their South Asian Roots
2m 38s
South Asians began arriving in significant numbers during the late 1800s. Most were men who settled in communities of color and faced segregation and laws against intermarriage with whites. Many formed multiracial families like Moksad Ali, a Bengali Muslim trader, who married an African American woman, Ella Blackman. Together they navigated race in an era of anti-Asian exclusion and Jim Crow.
Schedule
-
Image
Asian Americans
Breaking Ground
Thursday
May 2
1 Hour
New immigrants from China, Japan, and beyond adapt to life in America, building railroads, impressing in Hollywood, and fighting for equality. -
Image
Asian Americans
A Question of Loyalty
Thursday
May 2
1 Hour
The first generation of U.S.-born Asian Americans have their loyalties tested during World War II. -
Image
Asian Americans
Breaking Ground
Friday
May 3
1 Hour
New immigrants from China, Japan, and beyond adapt to life in America, building railroads, impressing in Hollywood, and fighting for equality. -
Image
Asian Americans
A Question of Loyalty
Friday
May 3
1 Hour
The first generation of U.S.-born Asian Americans have their loyalties tested during World War II. -
Image
Asian Americans
Breaking Ground
Saturday
May 4
1 Hour
New immigrants from China, Japan, and beyond adapt to life in America, building railroads, impressing in Hollywood, and fighting for equality. -
Image
Asian Americans
A Question of Loyalty
Saturday
May 4
1 Hour
The first generation of U.S.-born Asian Americans have their loyalties tested during World War II. -
Image
Asian Americans
Breaking Ground
Saturday
May 4
1 Hour
New immigrants from China, Japan, and beyond adapt to life in America, building railroads, impressing in Hollywood, and fighting for equality. -
Image
Asian Americans
Breaking Ground
Saturday
May 4
1 Hour
New immigrants from China, Japan, and beyond adapt to life in America, building railroads, impressing in Hollywood, and fighting for equality. -
Image
Asian Americans
A Question of Loyalty
Saturday
May 4
1 Hour
The first generation of U.S.-born Asian Americans have their loyalties tested during World War II. -
Image
Asian Americans
A Question of Loyalty
Saturday
May 4
1 Hour
The first generation of U.S.-born Asian Americans have their loyalties tested during World War II. -
Image
Asian Americans
Breaking Ground
Sunday
May 5
1 Hour
New immigrants from China, Japan, and beyond adapt to life in America, building railroads, impressing in Hollywood, and fighting for equality. -
Image
Asian Americans
A Question of Loyalty
Sunday
May 5
1 Hour
The first generation of U.S.-born Asian Americans have their loyalties tested during World War II. -
Image
Asian Americans
Good Americans
Thursday
May 9
1 Hour
Although heralded as a model minority, bold ambition leads Asian Americans to national political office as a culture-quake simmers beneath the surface. -
Image
Asian Americans
Generation Rising
Thursday
May 9
1 Hour
Asian Americans fight for equality in the fields, on campuses and in the culture. -
Image
Asian Americans
Good Americans
Friday
May 10
1 Hour
Although heralded as a model minority, bold ambition leads Asian Americans to national political office as a culture-quake simmers beneath the surface. -
Image
Asian Americans
Generation Rising
Friday
May 10
1 Hour
Asian Americans fight for equality in the fields, on campuses and in the culture. -
Image
Asian Americans
Good Americans
Saturday
May 11
1 Hour
Although heralded as a model minority, bold ambition leads Asian Americans to national political office as a culture-quake simmers beneath the surface. -
Image
Asian Americans
Generation Rising
Saturday
May 11
1 Hour
Asian Americans fight for equality in the fields, on campuses and in the culture. -
Image
Asian Americans
Good Americans
Saturday
May 11
1 Hour
Although heralded as a model minority, bold ambition leads Asian Americans to national political office as a culture-quake simmers beneath the surface. -
Image
Asian Americans
Good Americans
Saturday
May 11
1 Hour
Although heralded as a model minority, bold ambition leads Asian Americans to national political office as a culture-quake simmers beneath the surface.
WETA Passport
Stream tens of thousands of hours of your PBS and local favorites with WETA Passport whenever and wherever you want. Catch up on a single episode or binge-watch full seasons before they air on TV.
Similar Shows
Groundworks
Culture
Gospel
Culture
FILMS BYKIDS
Culture
Finding Your Roots
Culture
Honored to Serve
Culture
Inside the Vatican
Culture
Otherwords
Culture
Genesis: When in Rome 2007
Culture
Lucky Chow
Culture
Pioneers in Skirts
Culture