Researchers Around the World Righting a Wrong

Last month, the Director of the American Studies Program at Stanford, Dr. Shelley Fishkin, spoke at the U.S.-China Peoples' Friendship Association regarding her research : The Chinese Railroad Workers in North America Project (See part one.) The idea for a railroad put forth by President Lincoln was necessitated by the agonizing time it took to get from west to east, the inefficiency of travel and communication. To construct the most difficult part (the stretch through the Sierra Nevada) one of the owner's, Leland Stanford, suggested using Chinese labor. See Part Two. This was an odd suggestion at the time, as Stanford had promised to get rid of the Chinese. (See Part Three.) Approximately 12-15,000 Chinese worked on the western portion of the transcontinental railroad--an estimated 80-90% of the work force.  Yet, there is little documentation of their participation. (See Part Four.)

To right this wrong, and to avoid repeating that disgraceful 1969 ceremony at the 150^th anniversary of the railroad’s completion in 2017, Dr Fishkin and Dr. Chang convened a group of researchers at Stanford, creating the Chinese Railroad Workers in North America Project. The purpose of the project, which is sponsored by universities, foundations and private donors worldwide, is to find out who these Chinese were and what happened to them. For, despite the overwhelmingly large participation of the Chinese on the railroad, very little is known about them as individuals. There are no memoirs to turn to. Very little written documentation.

The Chinese Railroad Workers Project is exploring every avenue.

1. They are looking at photographs, and payroll records. From the latter, it is clear that not only did Chinese workers have to pay for their food and lodging and tools from their wages, they weren’t paid as well. "According to one scholar’s calculations," said Dr. Fishkin. "The Chinese workers cost the Central Pacific about two-thirds of what it paid white workers."

(To be continued.  Next: Harshest Winter on Record Doesn't Stop Railroad Progress.)

The Forgotten Majority

Last month, the Director of the American Studies Program at Stanford, Dr. Shelley Fishkin, spoke at the U.S.-China Peoples' Friendship Association regarding her research : The Chinese Railroad Workers in North America Project (See part one.) The idea for a railroad put forth by President Lincoln was necessitated by the agonizing time it took to get from west to east, the inefficiency of travel and communication. To construct the most difficult part (the stretch through the Sierra Nevada) one of the owner's, Leland Stanford, suggested using Chinese labor. See Part Two. This was an odd suggestion at the time, as Stanford had promised to get rid of the Chinese. (See Part Three.) 

It is estimated that 12-15,000 Chinese worked on and finished the railroad. (Almost twice the number of Irish, Italian, Germans employed for the Union Pacific, and an estimated 80% of labor involved in construction of Central Pacific.) 

As Leland Stanford wrote in a letter to President Johnson in 1865, “The greater portion of the laborers employed by us are Chinese…..Without them it would be impossible to complete the western portion of this great national enterprise, within the time required by the Acts of Congress.”

This Chinese labor—and the completion of the railroad-- not only created a good part of the fortune which founded Stanford University, but more importantly linked the east coast to the west coast, and made it possible to get from one end to the other in a week rather than three months. “It paved the way for new waves of settlers to travel from east to west, and provided a much less expensive way to transport goods,” said Dr. Fishkin. “The labor of the Chinese helped hasten America’s entry into the world as a modern nation.”

So one would think the Chinese participation in this important piece of history is all well documented. 
It isn’t.

(To be continued. Next: Researchers Around the World Righting a Wrong.)

Hiring "the Dregs of Asia"

Last month, the Director of the American Studies Program at Stanford, Dr. Shelley Fishkin, spoke at the U.S.-China Peoples' Friendship Association regarding her research : The Chinese Railroad Workers in North America Project (See part one.) The idea for a railroad put forth by President Lincoln was necessitated by the agonizing time it took to get from west to east, the inefficiency of travel and communication. To construct the most difficult part (the stretch through the Sierra Nevada) one of the owner's, Leland Stanford, suggested using Chinese labor. See Part Two.

This was an odd suggestion at the time.  This was right after the California gold rush when many Chinese had left drought, famine and war in China, and come to the U.S. to seek out their fortune. The Chinese were accused of taking all the jobs, of having strange eating habits, of being barbaric. 

"Leland Stanford," said Dr. Fishkin, "in his inaugural address as Governor of California in 1862,  had promised to rid the state of 'the dregs of Asia,' meaning the Chinese people."

But, in 1864, the businessman Stanford--one of the owners of the Central Pacific, and no longer governor-- decided these “dregs” would be his best bet.

(To be continued. Next: The Forgotten Majority.)

When West Was Far from East

Last month, the Director of the American Studies Program at Stanford, Dr. Shelley Fishkin, spoke at the U.S.-China Peoples' Friendship Association regarding her research : The Chinese Railroad Workers in North America Project (See part one.)

Let’s look back. 

In the 1800s it took months to travel from the east coast of the United States to west, and sometimes people didn’t make it.  (Think Donner Party, 1846). Communication, goods and services took time as well, and lots of it.

So, despite the demands of the raging Civil War, President Lincoln signed a bill and urged Congress to back him on the construction of a transcontinental railroad.  In 1862, Congress passed that bill—the Pacific Railroads Act—authorizing two railroad companies (the Union Pacific and the Central Pacific) to construct lines. 

The owners of the Union Pacific hired more than 8,000 Irish, German and Italian immigrants to build west from Omaha, Nebraska. This portion of the railroad line was relatively easy to build, since the land across the prairies was flat. 

On the other hand, the Central Pacific—from west to east—proved to be more difficult.  The line from Sacramento to the east had to cut through the Sierra Nevada mountain range—an incredibly difficult task, which included building tunnels through long stretches of solid granite in unpredictable and harsh weather.

Said Dr. Fishkin,  “After a year of struggling with Caucasian workers who didn’t want to work in the Sierra Nevada, and who were quitting on him in droves, Charles Crocker,  who oversaw the construction—suggested hiring Chinese workers.” 

This was an odd suggestion, especially at that time. 

(To be continued: Next: Hiring The "Dregs of Asia.")

Stanford Researches Builders of US Transcontinental Railroad: the Chinese

Dr. Fishkin discusses research

Last month, the director of the American Studies Program at Stanford, Dr. Shelley Fisher Fishkin, spoke at the U.S.-China People’s Friendship Association to explain some special research: the Chinese Railroad Workers in North America Project.

Dr. Fishkin said that when she joined the University in 2003, she had heard that Chinese labor was the key to the fortune with which Leland Stanford founded Stanford University, and assumed she would find something in the library—a letter from one of the workers or a something.

There was nothing. 

She asked her colleague in the history department, Dr. Gordon H. Chang, where she might find something. He said, “Nowhere.”

Not a single letter or journal entry or remittance slip from the people who had done the most for the railroad…for the university, for the states, for the country.

Just as unbelievable—and heartbreaking-- was a collective national amnesia that the Chinese had even participated. During the 100^th anniversary of the completion of the railroad in 1969, a celebration was held during which the role of the Chinese was attributed to non-Chinese.
“Who else but Americans can drill ten tunnels in mountains 30 feet deep in snow?” asked the orator officiating the ceremony, Secretary of Transportation John Volpe. “Who else but Americans could chisel through miles of solid granite? Who else but Americans could have laid ten miles of track in twelve hours?”

But, the people who performed all those engineering marvels hadn’t been Americans.

They had been Chinese.

(To Be Continued. Next: When West Was Far from East.)

Not Enough Opportunities For Graduates

Mengping Li, originally from a small town in Sichuan Province, was prepping for her college entrance exam when the disastrous earthquake of 2008 occurred. Although surrounded by misery, the testing went forward.  Mengping ended up being accepted at Chengdu University of Traditional Medicine. (See post one.) She soon discovered that this second-tier university did not have all she needed, and went about finding ways to make the experience better. (See post two.) The realization that she held the reins regarding her future lit a fire in her soul, and she began exploring as she never had before. (See post three.) She had thoughts about getting a higher degree, but decided instead to try to find a job. (See post four.) While she had heard it would be impossible to find a job, coming from a 2nd-tier university, she thought she'd test the waters during a holiday break. Through persistence, she found a position promoting VIP cards at a manicure/pedicure salon. (See post five.) While her colleagues were quick to judge customers and decide whether/not to engage, Mengping helped everyone. One impoverished-looking woman turned out to be quite wealthy and connected, and offered Mengping a job in an electronics company. Mengping turned this down.(See post six.) However, a year later, when she was graduating, she managed to snag a job with GE Healthcare, something this woman was also connected with. (See post seven.) She spent several years with G.E. before deciding she needed an MBA to get ahead. This time she was accepted into a "tier one" school. She also stepped outside her "farmer's mindset" and applied for an IT position with Microsoft. (See post eight.). Microsoft hired her. Rather than sit around and wait to graduate and join the company, though, she spent as much of her time as she could traveling the world. (See post nine.) Mengping, as her time was short in the U.S., did not come against any major challenges. However, she did point out some unique challenges she saw in China, aside from pollution and corruption. She mentioned that Beijing residents are given top priority to Beijing University, sidelining the talented individuals who happen to be born in a different city. (see post ten.)

Another concern Mengping had is all of the college students. While the universities expanded enrollment, the result is a lot of disappointed graduates.
“The structure (of society) doesn’t’ support the expansion. The opportunity is not as much as the people need. So all these people (graduates) are overflowing.

In 2017, 8 million Chinese graduated from University, more than twice the number of U.S. graduates.

“They live in cramped conditions (4-8 people a room), just renting beds, as they try to be successful. They are called, 'ants.'" (see NYT article.)

This concludes --with gratitude to Mengping--our interview. Next: The Chinese Who Built the Future of the U.S. 

Beijing Residents Receive Preference At Top Universities

Mengping Li, originally from a small town in Sichuan Province, was prepping for her college entrance exam when the disastrous earthquake of 2008 occurred. Although surrounded by misery, the testing went forward.  Mengping ended up being accepted at Chengdu University of Traditional Medicine. (See post one.) She soon discovered that this second-tier university did not have all she needed, and went about finding ways to make the experience better. (See post two.) The realization that she held the reins regarding her future lit a fire in her soul, and she began exploring as she never had before. (See post three.) She had thoughts about getting a higher degree, but decided instead to try to find a job. (See post four.) While she had heard it would be impossible to find a job, coming from a 2nd-tier university, she thought she'd test the waters during a holiday break. Through persistence, she found a position promoting VIP cards at a manicure/pedicure salon. (See post five.) While her colleagues were quick to judge customers and decide whether/not to engage, Mengping helped everyone. One impoverished-looking woman turned out to be quite wealthy and connected, and offered Mengping a job in an electronics company. Mengping turned this down.(See post six.) However, a year later, when she was graduating, she managed to snag a job with GE Healthcare, something this woman was also connected with. (See post seven.) She spent several years with G.E. before deciding she needed an MBA to get ahead. This time she was accepted into a "tier one" school. She also stepped outside her "farmer's mindset" and applied for an IT position with Microsoft. (See post eight.). Microsoft hired her. Rather than sit around and wait to graduate and join the company, though, she spent as much of her time as she could traveling the world. (See post nine.)

With Mengping at Stanford

I asked Mengping what challenges she saw facing the U.S. As she didn’t stay in the U.S. long (four months), she didn't have a strong opinion.

As for China, one of her big concerns--aside from the widely-held worry over pollution and corruption--was the severe competition in education. Getting into Beijing University is everyone’s priority.

 “If there is one student enrolled in Beijing University or Qinhua University from our county, the headmaster of the school and the head of that class will get a bonus.” But this is made almost impossible. Mengping’s best friend scored the highest on the college entrance exam in the entire county—but she still didn’t’ get into Beijing University.

"People who live in Beijing receive preference, and can get into the top universities with a lower admission score than students from outside the city. " (See article on subject by VOA.)

(To be continued. Next and final: Not Enough Opportunity for Graduates)

Taking Advantage of Each Day

Mengping Li, originally from a small town in Sichuan Province, was prepping for her college entrance exam when the disastrous earthquake of 2008 occurred. Although surrounded by misery, the testing went forward.  Mengping ended up being accepted at Chengdu University of Traditional Medicine. (See post one.) She soon discovered that this second-tier university did not have all she needed, and went about finding ways to make the experience better. (See post two.) The realization that she held the reins regarding her future lit a fire in her soul, and she began exploring as she never had before. (See post three.) She had thoughts about getting a higher degree, but decided instead to try to find a job. (See post four.) While she had heard it would be impossible to find a job, coming from a 2nd-tier university, she thought she'd test the waters during a holiday break. Through persistence, she found a position promoting VIP cards at a manicure/pedicure salon. (See post five.) While her colleagues were quick to judge customers and decide whether/not to engage, Mengping helped everyone. One impoverished-looking woman turned out to be quite wealthy and connected, and offered Mengping a job in an electronics company. Mengping turned this down.(See post six.) However, a year later, when she was graduating, she managed to snag a job with GE Healthcare, something this woman was also connected with. (See post seven.) She spent several years with G.E. before deciding she needed an MBA to get ahead. This time she was accepted into a "tier one" school. She also stepped outside her "farmer's mindset" and applied for an IT position with Microsoft. (See post eight.)

Microsoft was impressed enough by Mengping to fly her to Beijing for another round of interviewing. She had to give a ten-minute presentation.

“I kind of differentiated from others. Most of the MBA’s did a strategic analysis. But it’s only 10 minutes. So you cannot communicate all the information. So you need to sell yourself. “

They gave her the job. 

But before graduation, and before starting her new position, she continued to travel. 

“You cannot have such kind of time in your life.  No relationship, no worry about things.” 

Mengping in Cuba

She ventured to California for a couple of months (where we met her), then went off to visit Peru (where she helped those devastated by recent floods) and Cuba (“I recommend you to have a visit.”)  

Graduation Day

She returned home in time to graduate, attend a friend’s wedding, and begin her new job in Beijing.

(To be continued. Next: Beijing Residents Receive Preference at Top Universities)