This is our unabridged interview with Michael Luo.

When journalist Michael Luo was told to “go back to China” on a Manhattan sidewalk, it sparked a deeply personal journey into America’s past. In his new book Strangers in the Land, Luo unearths the overlooked history of Chinese exclusion in the U.S.—from early migrations and violent hostility to the nation’s first racially targeted immigration laws. He reflects on the enduring legacies of that history and the echoes we see today. Michael explores not just patterns of injustice but also stories of resilience and solidarity that offer a hopeful vision for America’s future.

Show Notes

Resources:

Strangers in The Land by Michael Luo

Interior Chinatown by Charles Yu

An Open Letter to the Woman Who Told My Family to Go Back to China by Michael Luo

Similar Episodes:

Eugene Cho and Karen Korematsu: Asian American History is American History

David Blight: Why How We Remember the Past Matters

Michele Norris: Race, Your Story, 6 Words, Please Send

Transcript

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