Vietnamese Americans

Children's Literature - Amie Rose Rotruck

Jade Ngoc Quang Huynh is just one of many Americans who immigrated to the United States during the aftermath of the Vietnam war. From a North Vietnamese prison camp to earning a MFA from Brown University, Huynh's story is both amazing and typical for many Vietnamese Americans. Vietnam has been under the control of other countries for most of recorded history, including China and France. After Vietnam was divided after WW II, it eventually erupted in violence that led to the Vietnam war. Both during and after the war, Vietnam experienced a mass migration of its people to the United States. The journey to the United States was perilous, and once arriving, the Vietnamese were crowded into camps until they could be dispersed, either to other countries or through sponsorship with a U.S. family. Even with sponsorship, settling in the United States was difficult because of language barriers and racism. Because most Vietnamese immigrants were spread across only seven states, they were able to create communities where they could, to an extent, maintain their culture and language. Within the Vietnamese community, however, there is often conflict between newer and older immigrants, as well as pressure on young people to succeed, and conflict about American customs versus traditional Vietnamese values. Despite all these obstacles, many Vietnamese-Americans have become very successful in various endeavors in the United States. This excellent resource about Vietnam and immigration from that country is part of "The New Immigrants" series.

VOYA - Debbie Clifford

This series relates the experience of immigrant groups to the United States since the 1965 change in immigration laws. A brief history of the home country is followed by an explanation of how and why the first group immigrated to this country. The obvious challenge of language differences is discussed along with less-evident hardships, including difficulty in finding jobs and/or housing as well as facing prejudice and stereotyping. Each book devotes a chapter to successful people from that immigrant group, and every chapter ends with study questions. A time line, glossary, and list of books and Web sites for further reading are featured at the end of each book. Vietnamese Americans details the experience of the immigrants who arrived immediately after the Vietnam War and the far different experiences of later Vietnamese immigrants. The first wave included many people who could speak English and who were among the most educated, both factors helping to ease their transition to American life. Subsequent arrivals were apt to be from the rural areas and less educated, and they had to rely on established Vietnamese Americans. The reader also learns of the sometimes long and harrowing journey from Vietnam to the U.S., including the boat people's terror at sea and the long stays at refugee camps in Thailand, Indonesia, and other countries. Titles in this series, which includes books on Indian Americans, Ukrainian Americans, Jamaican Americans, Mexican Americans, Filipino Americans, and Korean Americans, ably convey the challenges and achievements of each group. The reader will come away with fresh insight into the struggles each group faced and new respect for their successes.