Short Wave The U.S. Has A History Of Linking Disease With Race And Ethnicity
Mar 19, 2021
COVID-19 has spotlighted a troubling history of anti-Asian discrimination in the U.S. This discussion uncovers how xenophobia has been camouflaged as public health concerns throughout history. From the stigma faced by Chinese immigrants during the bubonic plague to the current surge of harassment, the podcast explores the ugly cycle of associating disease with race. It also highlights invasive medical inspections of immigrants and the disparities in treatment between different ethnic groups. The conversation delves deep into how these historical prejudices continue to resonate today.
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Disease and Discrimination
- Disease has been linked to race and ethnicity throughout U.S. history.
- Examples include SARS with Chinese people and Ebola with Africans.
Chinese Immigrants and Economic Downturn
- When the U.S. economy declined, immigrant groups competed for undesirable jobs, leading to harassment and massacres of Chinese workers.
- The idea of Chinese immigrants as dirty and diseased persisted.
Bubonic Plague and Chinatown Quarantine
- In 1900, bubonic plague was found in San Francisco's Chinatown, leading to a quarantine.
- Officials viewed Chinese immigrants as vermin-infested, leading to Chinatown's quarantine and disinfection campaigns.