It’s rare that life hands us the opportunity to add a positive narrative to the history books. But there was just such an opportunity recently, when I was given a platform at the 150th Anniversary of the Golden Spike to honor the 12,000 or more workers of Chinese ancestry who played a key role in building the first transcontinental railroad. These men, nearly 80% of the workforce of the Central Pacific Railroad, endured merciless, harsh, and dangerous conditions to build one of the greatest pieces of infrastructure in our country’s history. Digging and tunneling through the Sierra Nevada mountains with rudimentary tools, many lost their lives. But instead of gratitude for their sacrifice, state and federal laws were passed preventing men and women of Chinese ancestry from becoming American citizens or immigrating to the U.S.
So much has changed in the 150 years since. The Chinese exclusion laws have been repealed and our country has moved forward, becoming the diverse nation it is today. But for more than a century and a half, the Chinese American community has waited patiently for the contributions of the Chinese transcontinental railroad workers to be fully acknowledged and honored.
