The Chinese and the Transcontinental Railroad: Reflections on the 150th Anniversary

Julia Lee
Asian American Studies
UC Irvine


This year marks the 150th anniversary of the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad. In partnership with the Chinese American Museum of Los Angeles, “The Chinese and the Transcontinental Railroad: Reflections on the 150th Anniversary” program, will bring together scholars, artists, and community members to analyze the role of Chinese laborers in the construction of the Transcontinental Railroad as well as the railroad’s impact on communities of color in Southern California. A portion of related programming will include a one-day symposium on Chinese railroad labor as well as a day-long visit by Tony Award-winning playwright and librettist David Henry Hwang at UC Irvine.