There is historical evidence that Filipinos have been immigrating to the Americas since the 16th century and forming permanent settlements in the United States since the mid-1800s. Their experiences and contributions, however, have been minimized and generally received very little attention in history books. Moreover, whenever mentioned, Filipino Americans have been stereotyped as either “cheap” labor who were a threat to white workers or as successful “model minorities”.

This course will provide an introduction to the history of Filipinos in America and how their experiences have helped to shape the lives of future generations of Filipinos. The early experiences of Filipino immigrants in America will be examined within the context of historical, social, economic, and political forces in American society using select videos. We will also look at how their labor market status, race, class, and sex/gender relations have affected the evolution and formation of Filipino American communities that exist today (i.e. Queens, NY; Los Angeles, CA; San Francisco, CA; New Orleans, LA; Chicago, IL) as well as helped to propel Filipinos into the mainstream.
There will be a culminating oral history project where students will be responsible for interviewing a Filipino who has immigrated to America, and share how their stories have shaped the culture in significant ways.
By the end of the class, students will have learned:

* The history of Filipino American immigration and settlement in the U.S. (16th century – present).* The historical context within which these immigrations/settlements have occurred.
* More about their own as well as their classmates’ personal experiences as they relate to immigration and settling into the U.S.
* How to collect and put together personal stories using interview techniques and how to translate the information gathered into shareable formats.

The workshop will be taught by guest instructor, Noel Shaw.

Week 1: Introduction and Self -Exploration
Week 2: History of Filipinos in America
Week 3: Film Screening and In-Class Discussion 1 (1920s and 1930s)
Week 4: Film Screening and In-Class Discussion 2 (Depression-Era America)
Week 5: East Coast Filipino American Communities
Week 6: Personal Oral History Presentation

For inquiries or to register, please contact: 774-257-4669 or info@filschool-nynj.org.