THE PAPER DAUGHTER How Jiu

A Chinese American woman and baby sit on a formal bench dressed in light colored formal clothing — How Jiu and her daughter Lena
photo by permission of Heidi Young

How Jiu was never supposed to go to America. But in an incredible twist of fate during China’s Civil War in 1928, she set sail for San Francisco, never to return to her family again. Only 18 years old and traveling under a false identity, How Jiu had to pass a gueling test before she was allowed to enter the United States. Hear the surprising story of the Chinese immigration experience, recorded on location at Angel Island’s historic Immigration Station in the San Francisco Bay.

Want to learn more about How Jiu’s experience and those of other immigrants on Angel Island? This wonderful article is based on her daughter’s narratives, this is a great photo essay of the dedication of the immigrant memorial wall on angel island with the descendants of many immigrants attending, and this is a fantastic archive of immigrant stories from the Pacific coast.

A full transcript of this episode is available here.

A Chinese American woman holds a baby seated next to a man standing to their right — How Jiu, her husband Ah Foon, and their daughter Lena
photo by permission of Heidi Young

A Chinese American family with two parents and three children sit looking at the camera — How Jiu’s “Paper Family”
photo by permission of Heidi Young

A couple stand in a floral-decorated wire arch — How Jiu and her husband Ah Foon
photo by permission of Heidi Young

A middle-aged Chinese-American couple stand in front of a large delivery truck full of boxes, smiling at the camera — How Jiu and her husband Ah Foon
photo by permission of Heidi Young

How Jiu’s Certificate of Identity
photo by Katie Nelson

Womens bunks on Angel Island — Women’s bunks, immigration detention center
photo by Katie Nelson

How Jius effects on Angel Island — How Jiu’s suitcase and shoes
photo by Katie Nelson

Immigration Station infographic — Immigration Station
photo by Katie Nelson

Steps on Angel Island — Steps at original site of immigration station
photo by Katie Nelson

Poetry on walls under layers of paint Angel Island — Poetry on walls under layers of paint
photo by Katie Nelson

Alcatraz and San Francisco viewed from Angel Island — Alcatraz and San Francisco from Angel Island
photo by Katie Nelson

Casey Dexter-Lee and Katie Nelson
photo by Marc Nelson

Casey Dexter-Lee is a State Park Interpreter II with California State Parks and the lead for the educational programs at Angel Island State Park. Starting as a seasonal employee conducting living history programs and guided tours for school groups, she has lived and worked at Angel Island State Park for nineteen years. Casey has a BA in history from the University of California, Santa Cruz, home of the fighting banana slugs.

Music featured in this episode included

Drum Song of Fengyang
Recorded in San Francisco by Chao Rulan and Margaret Speaks, 1943
Episode 45 How Jiu

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Chinese Exclusion Act and Angel Island cover image — Episode 45 How Jiu

The cover of The Book of Sisters, a royal blue cover featuring illustrations of several famous sisters from the Brontes to Venus and Serena Williams to Maria and Marjorie Tallchief. — Featured in **The Book of Sisters** by Olivia Meikle and Katie Nelson

womens history cross stitch pattern — How Jiu custom cross-stitch pattern

2 Comments

Juniper Nichols

September 18, 2019 at 12:47 am 5 years ago

Thank you for this story 🙂 I have to wonder why the dowry clothes were untouched in that suitcase! How sad for whoever made the clothes by hand! I wonder if she thought they were to special to use, or maybe the fashion would make her stand out in an undesirable way? Or maybe she simply never liked them in the first place!
What'sHerName

September 21, 2019 at 7:23 pm 5 years ago

We wondered about that too! Maybe she did wear them and then just stored them carefully afterwards? We’ll try and find out from her family.

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