In No One's Shadow: Filipinos In America

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only have to do is to pick up that money right over there. Either they grow on trees or they lie on the street. That's the reason I came over. Just to hear America is some kind of, you know, it tickles us, you know, that we also think I'm coming over here when we graduate. I dream about reaching the United States and this is the only way I can join the Navy and see the United States. I came here to do more work in dance because at the time I had several professors have been in the United States and I was very much interested in doing work in what we call modern dance or contemporary dance. And so the only place where I could get advanced training, knowledge of modern dance was in the United States.

We are the largest Asian-American population in the nation today. Up until the early 1980s, when political events in the Philippines precipitated our involvement in international politics, Filipinos were probably America's most overlooked minority. Yet, Filipinos have played key roles in US history. In fact, Filipinos had founded settlements in what is now Louisiana before the American Revolution. The first Filipinos to come to the Americas were 16th century manoelemen. Preston to service under the Spanish, they sailed the Pacific and galleons built by their countrymen's forced labor. No strangers to the open sea, these Filipinos quickly earned an international reputation as excellent sailors.

While these early Filipinos were respected semen, many manoelemen would not stand for the harsh torturous treatment at the hands of their Spanish masters. After long months of forced labor on the high seas with little or no pay, they jumped ship at the first opportunity, becoming in the process Filipino pioneers. The manoelemen first settled in aqua-pocal Mexico in the 16th century. As early as 1765, however, Filipinos were slipping into the bayous and swamps of Louisiana to escape the cruelties of the Spanish. Thus, Filipinos became the first Asian immigrants to what would become the continental United States. For over 250 years, Spanish-speaking Filipino cagens have proudly contributed to the economy and culture of New Orleans and Louisiana. As a kid, I used to sell vegetables here for my grandfather's farm. Like thousands of other early immigrants he worked to land. Just how did Filipinos become so tightly linked with agriculture in the American economy? The story begins with the first immigrants who arrived in Hawaii at the beginning of the 20th century.

Labor troubles and public sentiment against Chinese and Japanese immigrant aliens had forced Hawaiian plantation owners to look elsewhere for willing, cheap, capable labor. Elsewhere was the Philippines. As a result of the Spanish-American and Filipino-American wars, the Philippines became a territorial protectorate or colony of the United States. Filipinos now found themselves classified as non-alien but still non-citizen American nationalists. This new status opened the door for the first Filipino exodus to the United States and its waiting farms and canaries. The first Filipino immigrants to Hawaii were indentured workers or cicadas. Idealistic and highly motivated, this largely male group of rural Filipinos fully intended to work out their three-year contracts in the sugar cane and pineapple fields and return to their families in homeland wealthy and prosperous. Between 1906 and 1919, nearly 30,000 Filipinos sought the dream of a better life in a white.

Considered the lowest rank in a work in social system dominated by whites, the cicadas found themselves held down as unskilled laborers for much of their lives. Unfortunately, this pattern would continue to be repeated for Filipinos throughout the agricultural industries of America's West Coast. Not all Filipino laborers succumbed to a Hawaiian fever. Between 1920 and 1934, thousands journeyed to the West Coast ports of Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle. These hardworking Filipino Americans made up of people from several different Filipino subcultures called themselves Penois as a means of recognizing their need for each other and for community. To the job seeking Penoi, Alaska meant quick money. Canary worked through thousands of Alaska arrows north for the spring and summer fishing season. Though the pay, $30 to $45 a month, was higher than that offered in the fields of California, the work was far from easy. In 1930, there were more than $4,200 Alaska arrows working in the fish houses. California, the Golden State feeds our nation.

Cold and wet in January, February and March, hot and dry from April to October. In the summer, the temperatures can soar close to 120 degrees in these fields. The days are long, and the work's hard, and for too long, the wages for Penois were always below minimum. And then they pay us 25 cents an hour. So that's what my first job would be there. In the 1930s, 31, 32s, it was a depression time. We would pay 10 cents an hour, or $1 a day. Penois and Alaska arrows fought for safer working conditions and fair wages. They organized and they stood together. They fought not only the canaries and farm industries, but racist white unionists who did not want Filipinos in the rank and file. But Filipinos would not give up from Hawaiian and Alaskan locals of the International Long Terms and Warehouse Mons Union to the Filipino Chicano Coalition that created the modern-day United Farm Workers of America.

Filipinos were instrumental in the growth of American unions. I know by experience that employers don't raise the wages, even if you asked, if they asked as an individual, they fired you. But when you are in the union, somebody going to speak for you and somebody who knows what he's talking about. So you bargain collectively, instead of individually, you bargain collectively. That's the power of the union. The reason why people come together is because for mutual benefits and mutual protection. That's the only way. The Penois who ventured to the U.S. mainland came with a dream. They called themselves schoolboys or fountain pen boys. They wanted an education. They wanted to better themselves in this golden land named America. I never expected that I would be in this kind of situation. And I was willing to work for my way through, like what they said. But then when I came in, you know, now it was a different story.

Because while the teachers were saying those things, the opportunities for education, they did not tell about the racial discrimination here. And Filipinos and the Filipinos don't know very much about racial discrimination. Young Filipinos have been led to believe that their journeys to the fabled America would reap them great rewards. Most left their families believing they would return after a few years. Thus, for every one Filipina who ventured to America's golden shores, there were almost 20 of her countrymen arriving with her. There was no Filipina. See, there were tough old Filipina women here that I know. And those were the only Filipinas that I know. How could you support the wife in your work, but the repy within an hour can do it? Even yourself, you'll be a problem. So that's kind and possible.

Suffering from culture shock and unable to speak the language fluently, Pinois were originally perceived as a docile, easily exploited workforce. Other than farm and canry work, the jobs opened to Pinois were minimal. They became domestics and hotels, dishwashers and restaurants, mess boys and ship stewards. Cut off from their own culture, and needful of human belonging, they formed bachelor societies. Later generations of immigrants would affectionately refer to these early pioneers as manong or elder brother. These men who had come from different Filipino subcultures and spoke different languages, banded together for their common good. Sometimes 10 or 15 manongs would rent an apartment together in an effort to lower expenses. Ramona, I heard the mission bill apart, courage you, I craze you in all my heart. Music blossomed wherever Filipinos went.

From bunkhouse jam sessions to dance hall orchestras, Pinois musicians blended classical jazz, swing and contemporary sounds into their own distinctive arrangements. The Pinois is one of the best duels in the world for a musician. They had debate with Italian. In some process of fun, I don't know, what was it called? I don't know, what was it called? It was a little bit Italian. Bring on the needs of the young Pinois and scooped for the swites, Chinese and Filipinos, set up gambling parlors and taxi dancing halls. At the dance halls, men lined up to buy tickets for their brief contacts with women, ten cents a dance. For instance, in the taxi dance hall, that makes really the boy happy.

We go there, we work hard, we feel tensiony dance, maybe happy hour. And after that, maybe we have a date with them, go down and chat for a hour. And go to a place else. I mean, you're just like in a really white American. Some Filipino men found companionship, love and marriage with women of other races. The reactions to this from white society were swift and ugly. In the 1930s, anti-missedination laws that had earlier prevented blacks, Japanese and Chinese from marrying whites were amended to include Filipinos. I was married to a white woman for 34 years. And we lived for 11 years without marriage because we were excluded on the law. They used to stop me. And the police would say, don't you know the law? And I said, I know the law. But it's not a crime to have a friend. We are not married. The Great Depression made work scarce. Dispossessed white laborers resented Pinois. They reasoned that the Filipinos were stealing American jobs.

Races attitudes began to surface more frequently. It's just like the legals when they come here and take the American jobs. And we came to America and we talked their jobs. And they got mad at us. That's my opinion. Pinois were denied access to an increasing number of mainstream American businesses. Positively no Filipinos allowed red the signs. In the late 20s and early 30s, racism took the form of rioting mobs. From Washington to California, anti-Filippino race riots took on increasingly ugly overtones. The most infamous race riot happened here in Watsonville, California in January of 1930. At the time, a few cases of reckless driving by Pinois were being heard by the local justice of the peace. A judge DW Roarback. Yes, Roarback. Well, sure. That guy made some statement in the news that you see, I don't know why he hated Filipinos at that time. But maybe perhaps because on account of that thing, you know, they are dressed up nicely all the time.

They ride nice looking cars. And maybe perhaps that's why he said something like the Filipinos are like a dress like pickaxe and ride like solomal in all its glory. See, that's how he go to the papers. Shortly after that, the North Monterey County Chamber of Commerce passed a set of inflammatory resolutions written by the same judge Roarback. Being but 10 years removed from a bolo and breach clout, the Filipino population of this district are designated with being undesirable and possessing unhealthy habits and destructive of the wage scale of other nationalities in agricultural and industrial pursuits. We do not advocate violence, but we do feel that the United States should give the Filipinos their liberty and send those unwelcome inhabitants from our shores that the white people who have inherited this country for themselves and their offspring might live.

This inflammatory rhetoric was reported in all the Watsonville newspapers and promptly responded to in a Filipino pamphlet called the torch. At a Filipino community meeting a few days later, 300 Penois came here to speak their minds and listen to their leaders. But young white rowdies were not interested in listening or speaking. Several carloads came to crash the community meeting only to be sent home by deputies. Later that night, fights broke out on the streets of Watsonville between whites and Penois. Fueled by wild rumors and hate, roving bands of whites continued hunting and savagely beating Filipinos for four days. As many as 700 white men and boys wrecked and looted Penoi homes and bunk houses. And they told us not to close bridge street. There was a street in town before they called it bridge street.

You are not supposed to close that tonight because people are going to kill you. They had war as a lot of times. So we took their advises, we didn't go. And that's why maybe perhaps we were not involved. Somebody was asleep in a camp. And they shut the camp. And the one on the bed, on the cut bed was shut and got dead. What these people were doing, young drivers were doing was heating every place in the house. And the bullet ricochet and got him instead. Neither to better his death nor the Watsonville riots escaped international attention. Newspapers across the U.S. reported the murder. And in the Philippines, a national humiliation day marked the infamous event and renewed demands for Philippine independence from U.S. dominion. Philippine leaders negotiating for their country's freedom found a strange alliance with American conservatives who hoped both to exclude new immigrants and severely restrict Filipinos living and working in the states.

In 1934, Congress passed the Tidings McDuffy Act, giving the Philippines its freedom and stripping Filipino Americans of their favorite national status. Overnight, they became aliens. Immigration was limited to 50 Filipinos a year. Filipinos were legally barred from marrying whites, lost significant numbers of jobs in the merchant marine, and were not allowed to buy land. But then, on December 7, 1941, everything changed. The very day that the Japanese shot the American to World War II, they also launched a massive campaign into the Philippines, landing first at Luzon. Less than a month after the initial invasion, Manila was under Japanese control. Mainstream American attitude quickly changed towards Filipinos during those early war days. The heroics of the Philippine soldiers who stood shoulder to shoulder with the Americans at Bataan and Carrigador did not go unnoticed.

Filipinos and Americans are fighting side by side against the brutal imperialistic forces of the Everorgon hero hero. The bravery and heroism of the loyal democracy loving native Filipinos is legend among our boys as they fight together for the liberation of the Philippines. Filipino Americans were initially barred from volunteering for military duty. The follow Manila prompted selective service to reclassify Filipinos as nationals, and therefore subject to the draft. Filipino Americans flocked to the armed services so strong was their concern for both America and the Philippines. The Army quickly responded, creating the first and second Filipino infantry regiment, all together more than 7,000 served in the two regiments. At home, Pinoy joined the merchant marine, worked in war plants and shipyards, and invested heavily in war bonds.

World War II had a lasting impact on Filipinos in America, lost at that excluded Filipinos from mainstream American life were rescinded. Filipino Americans were able to become full citizens, no longer unwanted aliens or landless nationals. Relaxed immigration rules after the war allowed many Pinoy's to finally bring loved ones back to the U.S. Now warbrides classified as GI dependents, found a new life waiting for them in the States. Filipino veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces and the Philippines were also offered citizenship. Many came to America with their families in tow. After the war and during the 50s, roughly 50,000 Filipinos immigrated to the U.S. These family oriented immigrants, together with returning members of the first and second infantry, many with new brides, laid the foundation for Filipino American society as we know it today. It's just like in a farm. That's why I like it so much. It tastes so good.

It's good. It's good. It's good. It's good. It's good. It's good. It's good. It's good. I heard about the Navy at that time I was going to school in Manila and it's a good adventure. My job at first when I was recruited was stored. At that time from 1952 until 1956, everyone was recruited to the United States Navy was stored and we didn't have any choice. I experienced that if you belong to minority, you cannot always say that you are equal to them.

In their mind, you are down. I satisfied myself being a minority. I just danced with the music. If whatever the music is, you have to dance with it. Just to get along. I appreciate it all the things that he provided for us as children because our relatives don't have half or even a fraction of the things we had and we always took it for granted. When you're young, you don't really appreciate that kind of thing. When you get older, it's like, how did you get through that? In return, the value of that, I want to do better for my children and I'm sure we all feel the same to continue improving our life whether it's here in the United States or if we're in the Philippines. The American born and raised children of the pre- and post-war years represent the first true Filipino Americans. They tried to make sense of the overt racism they experienced in the non-Filippino mainstream.

Some of the outfits we wore, I wore a bomb to gollum or something similar to that. To school once and a girl said, she says, what is that? Because it was so out of the ordinary and I think after that, I'm everywhere to get. Because they're starting clothes, they were giving me, it's like, where this is school and I'm going, I don't think so because no one else wears it and that peer pressure is so strong. 1965 signaled a rapid shift in the makeup of the Filipino American culture. Immigration laws were relaxed significantly. The allowable number of Filipino immigrants jumped to 20,000 annually. Between 1960 and 1970, the population of Filipino Americans nearly doubled. These new immigrants differed considerably from earlier groups, well-educated middle-class professionals. These women and men arrived better prepared for higher levels of employment. Although not without struggle, their assimilation has been swift and successful.

The job opportunities here are much better than back home because back home, sometimes if you are professional, it's hard to get a job. It's easy if you are in earnest to come here. And they said, well, when we were young, we are still, we want challenge. We like to do this advance our knowledge of the techniques, the skills that we don't have in the Philippines. I came here because of, especially for the children, I have more opportunity here. And now my son is graduating from high school and he will be going to college next year at UC Santa Cruz. As we say, there is no place like home, but this is my second home. We wanted to expose the young Filipino Americans in San Diego to the culture of their parents. I guess this is a form of expression for me. I love to see something happening on stage. I like to see the Filipino dance developed as a creative art form.

I think it will take a lot of years before we are completely integrated into the society here. And having a dance company that performs regularly presents a very, very good image of the Filipinos in the community. And I think that that is one of the contributions that I hope I can give to the Filipino community. I was in the Philippines in December, and in the whole city of Manila there was only one small children's dance troupe. All our arts are dying, because the influence of America, the United States is so strong. Rock and roll is completely taken over. You can find any records of Philippine dance, Philippine folk dance anywhere in the Philippines, any more.

The only collection of Philippine records is in my house. For those Filipino Americans who have been born here and have never been to the Philippines, it really provides them a very, very rare opportunity to be involved in performing art. They could not get this kind of experience anywhere in the community, nor can they get it in the Philippines, they went back there. In other words, if you really want to learn, good Philippine dance, you come right here in San Diego. In 1947, the renowned Filipino American writer, Carlos Boulson, wrote, It did not make me conceited that out of the slums and kitchens of California, out of the fear and hatred, the terror and hunger, the utter loneliness and death, I came out alive spiritually and intellectually. Instead, it has made me humble and serious with my relations with my fellow men.

The determination and courage of Filipino Americans like Boulson, whether they were kitchens, cicadas, monongs, penises or penoys, is a great source of personal strength for modern Filipino Americans. We take pride in our past, in our heroes, athletes, writers, warriors, activists, artists and musicians. The story of Filipinos in America is far from over. Each day is a new step, and you're beginning. Filipino Americans are learning to flex the muscles of social and political influence. We are taking our place in the forefront of American life, standing in no one's shadow. We are taking our place in the forefront of American life, standing in no one's shadow.

We are taking our place in the forefront of American life. We are taking our place in the forefront of American life, standing in no one's shadow. We are taking our place in the forefront of American life.