Study Notes on The Negroization of the Chinese Stereotype in California

The Negroization of the Chinese Stereotype in California

Author and Publication Information

  • Author: Dan Caldwell

  • Source: Southern California Quarterly

  • Volume and Issue: Vol. 53, No. 2 (June 1971)

  • Pages: 123-131

  • Published by: University of California Press on behalf of the Historical Society of Southern California

  • Stable URL: JSTOR

  • Date Accessed: Fri, 17 Oct 2025

  • Email for JSTOR Support: support@jstor.org

  • Terms of Use URL: JSTOR Terms

Summary of Key Themes

  • The evolution of Chinese stereotypes in California, reflecting changing sentiments towards immigrants.

Historical Context

The Shifting Perception of Chinese Immigrants

  • In 1852, the San Francisco Daily Alta California expressed optimism regarding the integration of Chinese immigrants into Californian society, hinting at future equality and political involvement.

    • Quote: "Quite a large number of the Celestials have arrived among us of late… The China boys will yet vote at the polls, study at the same schools…"

  • However, by 1853, the tone transformed to a notably anti-Chinese stance after an editorial change, classifying Chinese as sharing the vices of African Americans and paralleling their presence to that of free blacks in Illinois.

    • Quote: "We have a class here… who have most of the vices and few of the virtues of the African…"

Impact of the Civil War

  • The prejudiced views of Chinese immigrants were initially overshadowed by the Civil War, but after the war's end, the context shifted towards exclusionary sentiments against the Chinese as competition for jobs grew.

Factors Contributing to Prejudice

  • Rise of nationalistic pride post-gold rush, with negative comparisons to other groups of color like Indians and African Americans.

  • Many immigrants from the South carried racial prejudices into California upon moving there.

  • Economic competition intensified biases against Chinese workers, perceived as threats to job security.

Definitions and Explanations

Stereotypes

  • Defined as "pictures in our heads"; an undifferentiated caricature of groups, leading to prejudice.

    • Walter Lippmann (1922) highlighted that people only see what they expect to see rather than reality.

    • Prejudice often results from an overgeneralization based on perceived physical attributes or lifestyles.

Skin Color and Prejudice

  • C. Eric Lincoln: Skin color serves as a primary basis for evaluating individuals, often leading to negative perceptions.

  • All people of color were categorized within an inferior social bracket, with increased hostility towards all groups of color, including the Chinese, Indians, and Negroes.

Examples of Early Stereotypes

  • Articles and caricatures in popular media often depicted derogatory stereotypes of Chinese people.

    • Example: Illustrations in Hutching's California Magazine labeled Chinese as having a "cringing, abject sense of servility."

  • The common perception equated the Chinese with lower social orders, often using pejorative terms.

  • The depiction of the Chinese as inhumane or inferior began to appear in literature and editorial cartoons, resulting in increasingly severe stereotypes.

Prejudice During Economic Competition

Employment of Chinese Workers

  • Chinese immigrants, initially working as miners, transitioned into domestic roles due to workplace discrimination.

    • Considered industrious and willing to work for low wages: