1975 — 2025 and Beyond
"...The story of mass migration of Southeast Asians to the United States started in the 1970s in the aftermath of the US occupation of Southeast Asia during the ruthless Khmer Rouge genocide, bombings in Laos, and Vietnam War. Together these wars claimed millions of lives between 1955 and 1975, including innocent men, women, and children. Among those harmed were the 2 million victims of the Khmer Rouge genocide, and the tens of thousands of people who were victims of the mass bombing of Laos—the most heavily bombed country per capita in world history. Millions more were affected by Agent Orange, a herbicide deployed in Southeast Asia that is now linked to certain cancers."
— Southeast Asian American Journeys: A National Snapshot of our Communities (2020)
Fifty years ago, over a million Southeast Asians from Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam began fleeing their homes to escape war, genocide, persecution, and political instability.
Their journeys encountered a multitude of harsh conditions, from overcrowded refugee camps, to open seas, to underresourced neighborhoods in America that weren't ready to receive them. Surviving these dire circumstances would build the resounding resilience that is part of the Southeast Asian American community's identity.
In a span of three decades, 1.2 million Southeast Asians were resettled in the United States.
Today, our community has grown to more than 3 million strong.
Our Southeast Asian American Communities
General resources
Developed by: SEARAC artist-in-residence Natalie Bui What’s included: Historical context for refugee resettlement across several SEAA communities
Developed by: UC Irvine
What’s included: Historical records and cultural heritage of the Southeast Asian diaspora for research
Developed by: UMass-Lowell
What’s included: Historical materials, with particular focus on refugee resettlement and community building from the 1970s to the present
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A handbook on the background of ethnic Chinese from North Vietnam (by Nhi Quynh Luong)
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A Lahu Family Tries to Find a Home (by Natalie Bui)
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America’s Secret War in Laos (by Natalie Bui)
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On Adjusting As Iu-Mien (by Natalie Bui)
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Tai Dam People in Iowa (by Natalie Bui)
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Vietnamese American Experiences model curriculum (California)
Waves of Vietnamese Migration to the US (by Natalie Bui)