Amerasian Homecoming

With the guidance of anthropology professor, Winifred Tate, I will explore the past and contemporary experience of Amerasians in the United States and Viet Nam. My project is tentatively entitled "Exploring Interracial Realities of Vietnamese Amerasians to Their Mothers, Fathers, and Homeland(s)."

Amerasians are individuals "born of American servicemen and Vietnamese or Cambodian women" during the Viet Nam (or Viet Nam American) War period (Nwadoria and Mcadoo: 1996). (However, Amerasians, as the name implies, may also be fathered by U.S. American servicemen with women from a variety of different Asian nations (Korea, Philippines etc) during the Cold War.))
The Amerasian Homecoming Act, passed in 1987 and lasting until 1990, allowed for these individuals and their family members to immigrate to the U.S. My goal for this blog, or more accurately archives, is to compile a list of articles, clips, and resources about an inadequately studied population who quintessentially (physically, ideologically) represent the complex relationship between the U.S. (or more broadly speaking, global north) and Viet Nam (global south) extending from the red scare period onto today.

I've seen estimates of Amerasians in the U.S. ranging between 12,500- 30,000, not including descendants of Amerasians like myself. The number is astounding if not for other estimates placing the total numbers of Amerasians at 155,000 (Pearl S. Buck foundation).

What happened to those children who resemble their fathers who fought for the "enemy" side, particularly impassable children of Black or Latino servicemen, who were unable to escape Viet Nam (or Cambodia) after the fall of Sai Gon in 1975? What happened after the expiration of the Homecoming Act? This blog aims to show, not tell, at least a portion of the Amerasian story.

"So the ones in the west will never move east and feel like they be at home"- Damian Marley in Patience

Below is a collection of short articles about Amerasians and the Amerasian Homecoming Act from the Morning Call, a paper in Allentown, Pennsylvania (slightly north of Philadelphia), where a large population of Vietnamese immigrants reside. These articles were published between 1988- 1991 when the act was in place: (Therein lies a problem with the lack of reporting on progress and further efforts to advance the lives of Amerasians once in the U.S. in the past 20 years)

Homecoming Act

Some of the more poignant articles from the site:

"Lan's" story. "All the Americans left, why are you still here?"

...and what are "refugee" benefits when Amerasians are expected to make a life for themselves just 4-8 weeks after arriving in the States?

The story of Ngoc Hai's father leaving Viet Nam after service and being disconnected from his child is a theme.

Smithsonian journalist, David Lamb, researched and wrote an astonishing article in 2009 about the Amerasians' conflicting realities, due in large part to their mixed race and mixed heritage, of belonging to the United States and Viet Nam but fully to neither. But similar to the Morning Call articles; the tone concludes with an almost dream-like hope,... I question if that is the overall reality.

Children of the Viet Nam, American War

Photograph by Catherine Karnow: Smithsonian Magazine

Most Amerasians are between their late 30's and late 40's today, and with time and reflection, may now be able to if not speak, at least understand their realities.

If you have thoughts or have come upon any interesting information concerning Amerasians, please contact me or leave comments.