Resistance of Koreans to Racist Behavior in the U.S.

The purpose of this research is to examine specific patterns of social and political resistance of Koreans in reaction to racist behavior toward them in the United States. The plan of the research will be to describe the context in which issues of Korean resistance to racism in the U.S. arise, and then to discuss special aspects of response to racism that helped build Korean-American presence in U.S. communities.

What has to be understood about Koreans' immigration to the U.S. in the early twentieth century is that immigrants of that period were aliens not only in America but also in Korea. That is because in the years before World War II, Korea itself was a Japanese colony (invaded 1909). Japanese authorities "tried to wipe out Korean culture" (Chan 116) during the occupation. In Clay Walls, Chun's personal history includes torture by authorities. This situation fostered great nationalism. But in the U.S., Korean immigrant national pride met with racism as well.

In Clay Walls, the pattern of racism experienced by the Chun family in the U.S. has the power to affect the family's way of life. Some expressions of racism in Clay Walls are on a personal level. These Haesu responds to by claiming personal dignity. The story opens with Haesu (working as a maid) being insulted by her white employer for not cleaning the bathroom properly. Haesu curses the rich woman in Korean, then demands money even though the woman at first refuses to pay (Kim 5-6). But in a show of dignity, Haesu

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entrance test, but officer school is solely for whites (270). Such exclusion makes Haesu's sons bitter, but they understand better than Haesu that it does no good to complain. Koreans are accustomed to the idea of racism against them in Korea itself because of the Japanese occupation. Deep hatred of all Japanese is the main feature of Korean immigrant life in Clay Walls. The very unsubtle attitude of Japanese colonial authorities in Korea shows Japanese racism against Koreans. Haesu's visit to her family in Korea is marked by that racism in various ways. It starts on the steamship, when Haesu complains to the Japanese captain about her accommodations. But it turns out that the captain is really Korean and is pretending to be Japanese to get a better job. Japanese police follow Haesu and her family because they make contact with Koreans known to be involved in anti-Japanese political activity. And Haesu's family, who are very wealthy, still have to keep a low profile because of official Japanese interest in their support of anti-Japanese political groups. In both Korea and the U.S., Haesu hates to speak Japanese because that is the language of the conqueror. She hates the occupation so much that she joins a Korean nationalist poli

Category: Psychology - R