The Politics of Prejudice

The Politics of Prejudice examines anti-Japanese sentiment in California from the 1890s through World War II. The book traces how economic competition, racial ideologies, and political forces combined to create discrimination against Japanese immigrants and their American-born children. Roger Daniels documents the key organizations, laws, and public campaigns that targeted Japanese Americans in California. Through government records, newspapers, and personal accounts, he reconstructs how labor groups, politicians, and civic organizations worked to restrict Japanese immigration and rights. The book analyzes the role of California's anti-Japanese movement in shaping national policies, including the Immigration Act of 1924 and the internment orders of 1942. Daniels demonstrates the connections between local prejudices and the larger forces of nationalism, economic anxiety, and wartime hysteria. As one of the first scholarly works on anti-Japanese discrimination in America, this study reveals how organized prejudice can become institutionalized through political and legal systems. The themes of racial fears, economic scapegoating, and the fragility of civil rights remain relevant to modern discussions of immigration and citizenship.

Readers describe this as a detailed examination of anti-Japanese sentiment in California before WWII. Many reviewers note the book's thorough documentation and use of primary sources to trace discrimination patterns from the 1890s through internment. Readers appreciated: - Clear explanation of economic and political factors behind prejudice - Focus on California's specific role in anti-Japanese movements - Analysis of newspaper coverage and propaganda Common criticisms: - Dense academic writing style - Limited scope focusing mainly on California - Some readers wanted more personal accounts/stories Ratings: Goodreads: 3.8/5 (43 ratings) Amazon: 4.3/5 (12 ratings) One reader noted: "Provides context often missing from internment discussions." Another commented: "Important research but dry reading." Several academic reviewers cite the book's contribution to understanding west coast racism's institutional roots, though note it requires careful reading due to detailed policy analysis.

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American Sutra by Duncan Williams Examines Buddhist faith among Japanese Americans before, during, and after World War II internment camps.

The Chinese Must Go by Beth Lew-Williams Investigates anti-Chinese violence and exclusion in the American West during the nineteenth century.

Confinement and Ethnicity by Jeffery F. Burton and Mary M. Farrell Presents archaeological and architectural documentation of Japanese American internment camps with historical context of their construction and operation.

🔷 The book, published in 1962, was one of the first scholarly works to examine anti-Japanese racism on the West Coast and its role in the internment of Japanese Americans during WWII. 🔷 Author Roger Daniels served in the U.S. Armed Forces in Japan during the post-WWII occupation, which sparked his lifelong interest in Japanese-American history. 🔷 California's Alien Land Laws, discussed extensively in the book, prevented Japanese immigrants from owning land by exploiting a loophole in the 14th Amendment that only protected citizens' property rights. 🔷 The term "Yellow Peril," analyzed in the book, originated in Europe but became a powerful propaganda tool in American media, particularly in California newspapers owned by William Randolph Hearst. 🔷 While focusing on California, the book reveals how anti-Japanese sentiment spread to other states, leading Washington, Oregon, and Arizona to pass their own discriminatory laws against Japanese immigrants before WWII.