WEBVTT 00:00.742 --> 00:02.148 SAN FRANCISCO BAY, ANGEL 00:02.159 --> 00:02.495 ISLAND. 00:02.496 --> 00:03.913 IT HOLDS A HIDDEN CHAPTER OF 00:03.914 --> 00:04.897 HISTORY, ONE THAT HELPS US 00:04.908 --> 00:05.563 BETTER UNDERSTAND THE CHINESE 00:05.574 --> 00:08.272 AMERICAN EXPERIENCE. 00:08.283 --> 00:14.495 >> AMERICA TECH CAPITAL HAS A 00:14.529 --> 00:16.933 SECRET. IN THE SHADOWS OF 00:16.944 --> 00:18.344 ALCATRAZ, IN SAN FRANCISCO BAY, 00:18.355 --> 00:19.287 ANOTHER ISLAND WITH OTHER 00:19.288 --> 00:19.927 STORIES OF LAWBREAKERS CALLED 00:19.961 --> 00:21.896 ANGEL ISLAND. 00:21.907 --> 00:24.785 >> MY GRANDMOTHER CAME HERE BY 00:24.786 --> 00:25.133 BOAT. 00:25.144 --> 00:26.179 >> LIKE MANY NEWCOMERS, 00:26.180 --> 00:28.667 WELCOMED BY THE GOLDEN GATE. 00:28.668 --> 00:29.942 >> SHE DID LIE. 00:29.976 --> 00:31.157 SHE FANTASIZED FOR A LIFE THAT 00:31.168 --> 00:33.301 WAS NOT HER OWN. 00:33.302 --> 00:37.104 >> SHE ARRIVED ON THE ISLAND AT 00:37.139 --> 00:39.121 AGE 12, CLAIMING TO BE A U.S. 00:39.132 --> 00:39.905 CITIZEN. 00:39.916 --> 00:45.786 >> THERE IS A DISCREPANCY 00:45.787 --> 00:47.251 POINTING THAT OUT. 00:47.262 --> 00:49.267 >> SHE WAS NOT A U.S. CITIZEN. 00:49.268 --> 00:51.089 FOR WEEKS, SHE WAS INTERROGATED 00:51.124 --> 00:52.198 AND DETAINED AS IMMIGRATION 00:52.209 --> 00:54.599 OFFICIALS TRIED TO PROVE SHE 00:54.610 --> 00:58.765 WAS NOT WHO SHE CLAIMED TO BE. 00:58.776 --> 01:00.897 >> THE HEARINGS WERE TO FIND 01:00.908 --> 01:05.123 THE IMMIGRANTS WHO IS LYING. 01:05.134 --> 01:08.893 >> PARK RANGER SAYS SHE COULD HAVE BEEN SENT BACK BECAUSE SHE 01:08.904 --> 01:11.268 HAVE BEEN SENT BACK BECAUSE SHE 01:11.279 --> 01:15.236 WAS ILLEGALLY IN THE U.S.. 01:15.237 --> 01:17.620 SHE PASSED THAT TEST BUT WOULD 01:17.621 --> 01:18.937 NOT SPEAK OF HER SECRET FOR 01:18.971 --> 01:19.302 DECADES. 01:19.313 --> 01:21.220 >> SHE SAT ON HER BED IN HER 01:21.231 --> 01:22.488 BEDROOM AND SHE FINALLY TOLD ME 01:22.489 --> 01:23.365 THE STORY ABOUT HOW SHE CAME 01:23.366 --> 01:24.158 THROUGH ANGEL ISLAND. 01:24.193 --> 01:26.201 >> HER FATHER ONLY LEARNED OF 01:26.212 --> 01:27.607 THE ILLEGAL STORY IN HIS 20s. 01:27.608 --> 01:31.109 THE ONLY TIME SHE MENTIONED 01:31.143 --> 01:32.937 WHERE SHE ENDURED ON ANGEL 01:32.948 --> 01:33.284 ISLAND. 01:33.285 --> 01:35.999 >> IT IS PROBABLY SIMILAR TO 01:36.000 --> 01:37.221 BEING IN JAIL, THE FRUSTRATION, 01:37.255 --> 01:37.827 THE ANGER. 01:37.838 --> 01:38.824 >> EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR THE 01:38.835 --> 01:39.561 IMMIGRATION STATION FOUNDATION 01:39.596 --> 01:43.926 TELLING US TO HUNDRED PEOPLE 01:43.937 --> 01:46.049 WOULD BE FORCED INTO ROOMS 01:46.060 --> 01:47.197 DESIGNED FOR ONLY 50. 01:47.198 --> 01:48.403 >> THE MAJORITY OF INDIVIDUALS 01:48.414 --> 01:50.049 WHO ARE HELD HERE NEVER TALKED 01:50.060 --> 01:50.992 ABOUT IT WITH THEIR CHILDREN, 01:51.026 --> 01:51.738 THEIR GRANDCHILDREN. 01:51.749 --> 01:57.446 MANY OF THEM HELD ONTO IT TILL 01:57.457 --> 01:59.075 THE DAY THEY DIED. 01:59.110 --> 02:00.394 >> LYING TO THE GOVERNMENT, 02:00.405 --> 02:01.102 HIDDEN DETAINMENT PRACTICES AND 02:01.113 --> 02:01.556 FAMILY SECRETS. 02:01.590 --> 02:03.865 WHY THE SILENCE? 02:03.876 --> 02:06.218 IT GOES BACK TO A RACE-BASED 02:06.252 --> 02:07.836 1882 LAW THAT BANNED CHINESE 02:07.838 --> 02:10.535 LABORERS FROM ENTERING THE U.S. 02:10.546 --> 02:11.928 SAYING THEY ENDANGERED THE GOOD 02:11.929 --> 02:12.270 ORDER. 02:12.271 --> 02:15.537 IT WAS THE FIRST EVER MAJOR LOT 02:15.539 --> 02:17.052 TO BAN A CERTAIN RACIAL OR 02:17.087 --> 02:19.022 NATIONAL GROUP. 02:19.023 --> 02:24.363 BUT, THEN, AN EARTHQUAKE IN 02:24.374 --> 02:29.252 1906 TURNING SAN FRANCISCO INTO 02:29.263 --> 02:29.683 RUBBLE. 02:29.694 --> 02:31.228 >> THE FIRE LED TO THE 02:31.239 --> 02:32.137 DESTRUCTION OF THE BUILDINGS 02:32.138 --> 02:33.080 WHERE RECORDS WERE KEPT. 02:33.082 --> 02:35.738 A LOOPHOLE OPENING UP, A SYSTEM 02:35.773 --> 02:36.786 WHERE CHINESE COULD ENTER 02:36.797 --> 02:37.090 ILLEGALLY. 02:37.101 --> 02:38.273 HERE IS HOW IT WORKED. 02:38.274 --> 02:39.354 CHINESE PEOPLE ALREADY IN SAN 02:39.355 --> 02:41.623 FRANCISCO CLAIMED THEY WERE US 02:41.657 --> 02:42.670 CITIZENS BUT THAT QUAKE 02:42.681 --> 02:43.530 DESTROYED THEIR PAPERS. 02:43.541 --> 02:44.750 MANY THEN FILED NAMES OF THEIR 02:44.761 --> 02:45.299 CHILDREN, SOME TRUE, SOME 02:45.300 --> 02:45.661 BALLS. 02:45.663 --> 02:46.904 IN TURN, THEY SOLD THESE 02:46.906 --> 02:47.925 IDENTITIES IN CHINA WHICH 02:47.960 --> 02:52.712 ALLOWED THE BUYERS ENTERING 02:52.723 --> 02:55.798 INTO THE U.S.. 02:55.809 --> 02:58.145 THIS SUN AND DAUGHTERS SYSTEM 02:58.146 --> 03:00.066 WAS ONE OF THE ONLY WAYS AROUND 03:00.067 --> 03:01.066 THE CHINESE EXCLUSION ACT. 03:01.067 --> 03:02.390 ONE IN THREE CHINESE IN AMERICA 03:02.424 --> 03:03.409 TODAY ESTIMATED AS PART OF OR 03:03.420 --> 03:04.619 DISSENTED FROM THIS SYSTEM. 03:04.630 --> 03:09.644 THAT IS WHY FANNY QUAN BECAME A 03:09.645 --> 03:11.834 PAPER DAUGHTER AND WHY SHE KEPT 03:11.845 --> 03:12.194 SECRETS. 03:12.195 --> 03:15.165 >> WHEN I WAS 14 YEARS OLD, SHE 03:15.199 --> 03:16.598 WAS TOLD THAT SHE HAD ONE YEAR 03:16.599 --> 03:17.207 TO LIVE. 03:17.218 --> 03:22.076 I WOULD VISIT HER ONCE A WEEK 03:22.087 --> 03:24.125 AND GOT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT 03:24.136 --> 03:24.495 HER. 03:24.529 --> 03:25.782 >> THIS DROVE HER TO ILLUSTRATE 03:25.793 --> 03:26.607 HER GRANDMOTHER’S STORY. 03:26.618 --> 03:28.320 >> HER LOOKING OUT A BARRED 03:28.331 --> 03:30.174 WINDOW IS A STRONG IMAGE. 03:30.208 --> 03:31.434 >> THESE ARE SOME OF THE 03:31.445 --> 03:33.599 RECORDS. 03:33.610 --> 03:37.742 THESE ARE FOR YOUR GRANDFATHER 03:37.743 --> 03:40.204 WHO WAS ALWAYS A PAPER SON. 03:40.215 --> 03:45.004 >> TODAY IS THE FIRST TIME I 03:45.015 --> 03:46.857 HAVE EVER SEEN THIS PICTURE. 03:46.868 --> 03:48.615 >> FOR A LOT OF FAMILIES, THIS 03:48.616 --> 03:49.491 IS THE ONLY PHOTOGRAPH THEY MAY 03:49.492 --> 03:49.810 HAVE. 03:49.811 --> 03:51.215 >> MY GRANDFATHER NEVER TOLD US 03:51.249 --> 03:52.306 UNTIL WE SAW HIS TOMBSTONE. 03:52.307 --> 03:54.399 WE HAD A FALSE NAME. 03:54.410 --> 03:59.399 FOR THE FIRST TIME, OUR REAL 03:59.410 --> 04:02.394 LAST NAME WAS PUBLICLY 04:02.405 --> 04:02.798 DISPLAYED. 04:02.799 --> 04:06.411 HOW DOES THIS STORY FIT INTO 04:06.446 --> 04:07.782 THE NATIONAL DISCUSSION ON 04:07.784 --> 04:09.574 IMMIGRATION? 04:09.585 --> 04:14.204 >> THIS SERVES AS A LIVING 04:14.215 --> 04:18.847 LANDMARK FOR EXPERIENCES OF 04:18.848 --> 04:22.220 DETENTION, OF RACISM, OF 04:22.231 --> 04:23.462 EXCLUSION AND TERMINATION. 04:23.464 --> 04:24.950 >> ARE YOU GLAD SHE BROKE THE 04:24.961 --> 04:25.310 LAW? 04:25.345 --> 04:26.909 >> I AM VERY PROUD AND VERY 04:26.920 --> 04:28.021 GLAD THAT SHE DID. 04:28.032 --> 04:32.039 THAT IS A STRANGE THING TO SAY. 04:32.073 --> 04:34.286 >> AND, A STRANGE LIFE TO LIVE. 04:34.287 --> 04:37.190 MANY CARVING POEMS OF DESPAIR 04:37.201 --> 04:39.140 AND HOPE INTO THE WOOD, ONE 04:39.175 --> 04:41.438 READING, THERE ARE TENS OF 04:41.449 --> 04:42.663 THOUSANDS OF POEMS ON THESE 04:42.664 --> 04:43.011 WALLS. 04:43.022 --> 04:45.943 THE DAY I AM RID OF THIS PRISON 04:45.977 --> 04:47.252 AND BECOME SUCCESSFUL, I MUST 04:47.253 --> 04:50.582 REMEMBER THAT THIS CHAPTER ONCE 04:50.593 --> 04:50.973 EXISTED. 04:50.975 --> 04:55.818 >> RICHARD WONG, NBC NEWS, 04:55.829 --> 04:56.693 ANGEL ISLAND. 04:56.704 --> 04:58.569 >> FIRST, WHAT WAS IT LIKE TO 04:58.570 --> 04:59.736 SAY YOUR ORIGINAL NAME PROBABLY 04:59.737 --> 05:00.598 FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER ON 05:00.632 --> 05:03.653 CAMERA? 05:03.664 --> 05:06.537 >> VERY STRANGE. 05:06.538 --> 05:09.267 WHEN I WAS SAYING THAT, RICHARD 05:09.278 --> 05:11.030 WONG ON CAMERA, I WAS THINKING, 05:11.041 --> 05:12.782 I HAVE NOT DONE THIS EVER AND I 05:12.793 --> 05:14.587 HAVE BEEN DOING THIS FOR 20 05:14.622 --> 05:18.541 YEARS . THAT SAME EXPERIENCE IS 05:18.552 --> 05:20.192 PROBABLY THE WAY MY FATHER 05:20.193 --> 05:20.542 FELT. 05:20.576 --> 05:22.075 WHEN HE SAW THAT TOMBSTONE, IT 05:22.076 --> 05:25.678 WAS THE FIRST TIME HE REALIZED 05:25.689 --> 05:28.339 IN HIS 40 YEARS OF LIFE THAT HE 05:28.373 --> 05:29.669 HAD TO GO AND SAY, WHAT HAS 05:29.680 --> 05:30.770 HAPPENED HERE? 05:30.772 --> 05:35.620 HE DETERMINED, INDEED, THAT HIS 05:35.631 --> 05:40.116 PARENTS CAME TO AMERICA 05:40.117 --> 05:40.559 ILLEGALLY. 05:40.593 --> 05:42.474 >> WHEN YOU SAW THAT PICTURE OF 05:42.475 --> 05:43.656 YOUR GRANDFATHER FOR THE FIRST 05:43.667 --> 05:44.981 TIME THAT YOU HAD NEVER SEEN 05:44.982 --> 05:46.284 THAT PHOTO, HE WAS JUST A CHILD 05:46.285 --> 05:47.392 COMING TO A NEW COUNTRY. 05:47.403 --> 05:48.880 HE WAS UNDER A PLAN THAT WAS 05:48.914 --> 05:49.822 NOT LEGAL AND A STORY THAT IS 05:49.824 --> 05:50.395 NOT TRUE. 05:50.396 --> 05:55.637 COULD YOU IMAGINE WHAT IS GOING 05:55.648 --> 05:56.911 THROUGH HIS HEAD? 05:56.922 --> 05:58.503 >> THEY WERE VERY GOOD AT 05:58.504 --> 05:59.320 MEMORIZING WHAT I SUPPOSE IT 05:59.331 --> 05:59.894 STORY WAS. 05:59.905 --> 06:02.790 THEY WERE GIVEN THESE BIG MAPS 06:02.825 --> 06:04.365 OF YOUR TOWN THAT YOU ARE 06:04.376 --> 06:04.991 SUPPOSEDLY FROM. 06:04.992 --> 06:06.197 MOST OF THEM WERE 10 OR 12 06:06.198 --> 06:06.790 YEARS OLD. 06:06.801 --> 06:08.256 MY GRANDFATHER WAS THAT AGE BUT 06:08.257 --> 06:09.715 HE CAME FROM A VERY POOR FARM. 06:09.749 --> 06:10.896 HE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT 06:10.897 --> 06:13.278 WHOEVER HE WOULD MARRY WOULD 06:13.289 --> 06:14.501 HAVE A BETTER FUTURE. 06:14.502 --> 06:17.429 SURE ENOUGH, THEY HAD TO BREAK 06:17.463 --> 06:18.986 A LAW TO DO IT. 06:18.997 --> 06:22.330 >> WAS THIS ONLY A CHINESE 06:22.332 --> 06:23.794 STORY OR WERE THERE OTHER 06:23.795 --> 06:24.419 GROUPS INVOLVED? 06:24.453 --> 06:25.770 >> THE PAPER SON AND PAPER 06:25.781 --> 06:27.749 DAUGHTER SYSTEM WERE SOMETHING 06:27.750 --> 06:29.348 THAT WAS DONE UNIQUELY IN SAN 06:29.359 --> 06:29.673 FRANCISCO. 06:29.707 --> 06:31.961 WHEN THEY WERE SELLING THESE, 06:31.972 --> 06:33.655 THEY SOLD THEM FOR ABOUT 30,000 06:33.656 --> 06:35.954 IN TODAY’S DOLLARS TO BE ABLE 06:35.965 --> 06:37.460 TO GET THAT NAME. 06:37.494 --> 06:41.225 THEY HAD A CHEAT SHEET SET UP. 06:41.236 --> 06:43.840 WHEN THEY CAME INTO THE GOLDEN GATE, THEY WOULD THROW THEM 06:43.841 --> 06:45.519 GATE, THEY WOULD THROW THEM 06:45.530 --> 06:49.583 OVER THE SIDE OF THE BOAT. 06:49.585 --> 06:52.072 WHEN YOU GO TO THE MUSEUM, YOU 06:52.106 --> 06:53.103 WILL LOOK AT THESE. 06:53.114 --> 06:54.049 THEY ARE SO INTRICATE. 06:54.060 --> 06:57.199 THEY HAD TO REMEMBER EVERY 06:57.200 --> 06:58.588 SINGLE THING ABOUT IT. 06:58.589 --> 06:59.650 >> YOUR GRANDFATHER LIVES IN 06:59.651 --> 06:59.930 CALIFORNIA. 06:59.965 --> 07:02.962 HE RAISED A FAMILY. 07:02.973 --> 07:05.199 HE NEVER CHANGED HIS NAME BACK, 07:05.210 --> 07:05.556 WHY? 07:05.590 --> 07:06.813 >> I THINK THEY WERE WORRIED 07:06.824 --> 07:07.591 FOR SEVERAL REASONS. 07:07.592 --> 07:08.406 NUMBER ONE, THEY WOULD GET 07:08.417 --> 07:08.754 DEPORTED. 07:08.765 --> 07:11.670 MY GRANDMOTHER FELT THE SAME. 07:11.704 --> 07:13.939 WHAT MY FATHER FOUND OUT -- I 07:13.940 --> 07:15.419 THINK THERE IS A GENERATIONAL 07:15.430 --> 07:19.439 HANGOVER ON TOP OF THAT. 07:19.440 --> 07:22.214 HE SAID, WE ARE GOING TO KEEP 07:22.249 --> 07:22.601 IT. 07:22.612 --> 07:24.186 I MUST ADMIT, I DID NOT REALIZE 07:24.197 --> 07:25.854 I HAD THIS IMMIGRATION 07:25.855 --> 07:27.086 BACKGROUND UNTIL THE COMMERCIAL 07:27.121 --> 07:28.836 BREAK WHEN I WAS AT CNN AND I 07:28.847 --> 07:29.914 DID A STORY ON IMMIGRATION. 07:29.915 --> 07:32.510 I WAS LIKE, OH MY GOSH. 07:32.544 --> 07:34.131 I AM OF THAT STORY WE JUST 07:34.132 --> 07:34.895 REPORTED ON. 07:34.906 --> 07:38.464 >> LOUIS IS THE NAME THAT HE 07:38.475 --> 07:38.996 BOUGHT? >> YES. 07:38.997 --> 07:39.994 >> YES. 07:40.028 --> 07:44.134 WONG IS MY ACTUAL LAST NAME.