Immigration continues to direct the political discourse as images of migrants at the southern border dominate the nightly news and a growing political divide does not allow for effective policy solutions. While the contemporary political debate continues, it is important to understand the historical understanding around immigration beyond the stories of Ellis Island.
Far East Deep South provides a microhistory of the often seldom taught Chinese immigration to the Mississippi Delta region around the time of the Chinese Exclusion Act which was signed into law in 1882 prohibiting the entry of Chinese laborers into the United States.
Using the Chiu family’s exploration of their own history in the Mississippi Delta region, the film begins by introducing Baldwin and Edwin Chiu’s desire to understand who their grandfather was and why he is buried in Mississippi. The family meets with local leaders and community members who knew their grandfather. With context provided by historians and other experts on the topic of Chinese immigrants in the South, the film uncovers the history of both the Chiu family as well as the Chinese community who first came to the United States to provide cheap labor on plantations after the emancipation of slaves but who soon opened their own businesses (primarily grocery stores) to earn a living.
The story of Baldwin and Edwin’s grandfather uncovers the racial discrimination of Chinese immigrants in Mississippi and moves beyond the general and more often discussed Chinese immigrant community on the West Coast and their contribution to the transcontinental railroad. What becomes apparent is the complex picture of race relations in the South and the plight of Chinese immigrants who found a place in the African American community.
Far East Deep South pulls the viewer into this story through the real-time discovery of the Chiu family’s history. Directed by Larissa Lam, the film is able to capture the real emotion of Charles, Baldwin, and Edwin’s father as he learns about his past that he tried to avoid. The mix of filming the family’s trips to Mississippi, interviews, and historical images and films makes for engaging content that will draw the audience into the story of the Chinese immigrant experience in the late 1800s and early 1900s in the South.
While this film tackles issues related to race relations and the lived experience of Chinese immigrants in a sensitive manner, it is important to note the use of racially insensitive language and slurs during some interviews. For this reason, those using this film in the classroom or in community events should provide a warning to its viewers. Highly Recommended. Adu: H, C, P.
Included in our list of Best Documentaries 2021.
