"Colored Men in the Mines" (with text supports)

Though discriminated against in California, African-American miners often shared the same prejudices as white Americans towards Chinese immigrants. At other times, immigrants and African Americans found common purpose in work and leisure. This newspaper reports on a shared encampment where both groups worked together and where black miners established a lyceum, or public high school, and invited Chinese and white miners to attend lectures and other educational offerings. The newspaper reporter calls the Chinese immigrants “silvery-tongued,” noting, as many Americans did, the unusual song-like quality of the Chinese language to English-speakers’ ears.

 Download and Save: ColoredMenintheMines.pdf