-
Beginnings
The Naturalization Act of 1790 provided the first laws in the U.S. for granting citizenship. It restricted naturalization to only whites "of good character" and essentially made all Asians ineligible for citizenship -
The Chicago World Fair & Transcendentalism
Traders from India arrived to the U.S. in the 1880s, who helped spread some Eastern philosophies throughout the country - chief among them was Transcendentalism, which established a belief in man's natural good and viewed society as an obstacle to overcome through independence and self-reliance. The World's Columbian Exposition (the World Fair's full name) brought Swami Vivekananda to the nation from India who essentially introduced the West to Hinduism. -
Continued Ignorance and Legal Battles
The 20th century would see Asian Indian Americans gain a sizable population in the country, but it wouldn't be easy. In 1923 the Supreme Court saw a case (United States v. Bhagat Singh Thind, a Sikhh U.S. soldier in WWI) and ruled that high caste Hindus were not "white persons" and were not eligible for naturalized citizenship. They went as far as to say the racial difference between Indians and whites was so great that the "great body of our people" would reject assimilation with Indians. -
Luce–Celler Act of 1946
A bi-partisan bill passed by the Truman administration which established a quota of 100 Indians (and 100 Filipinos) to immigrate to the U.S. a year, and also allow naturalization for them.
(Exact date unclear) -
Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965
Signed into law by president Lyndon B. Johnson at the foot of the Statue of Liberty, this bill abolished the quotas set up previously based on national origins. It maintained per-country limits, but also created preference visas for skilled immigrants (like physicians and scientists). The bill set numerical restrictions on visas at 170,000 per year, with a per-country-of-origin quota. However, immediate relatives of U.S. citizens had no restrictions. -
21st Century & New Jersey
New Jersey (and the encompassing NYC Metropolitan area) is home to largest Asian Indian American population in the United States and the largest in the world outside of Asia. The India Square neighborhood in Jersey City specifically has the highest concentration of Asian Indians in the entire Western Hemisphere. Asian Indians are a flourishing people and, after Chinese Americans, are the fastest-growing group of immigrants in the nation. Their future is bright.
