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Chinese Exclusion Act: Primary Documents in American History

On May 6, 1882, the Chinese Exclusion Act was signed into law, prohibiting the immigration of Chinese laborers for ten years. This guide compiles Library of Congress digital materials, external websites, and a print bibliography.

Introduction

The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 was signed into law on May 6, 1882. Officially titled "An act to execute certain treaty stipulations relating to Chinese," the Chinese Exclusion Act prohibited the immigration of Chinese laborers for ten years. It was extended in 1892 for another ten years by the Geary Act and then made permanent in 1902. In 1943, at a time when the United States and China were allies during World War II, the ban on Chinese immigration and naturalization was finally repealed.