Far East Deep South
Season 9 Episode 8 | 1h 13m 21s|
Charles Chiu and his family’s search for their roots takes them on an eye-opening journey through the Mississippi Delta, uncovering otherwise unknown stories and the racially complex history of Chinese immigrants in the segregated South. This Chinese American family’s unforgettable story offers a poignant and important perspective on race relations, immigration and American identity.
Aired:05/04/21
Rating: TV-PG
SEASON 09 EPISODE 8
FAR EAST DEEP SOUTH follows Charles Chiu and his family as they travel from California to Mississippi to find the grave of Charles’ father, K.C. Lou. Their search leads to stunning revelations about their family, and they get a crash course on the history of Chinese immigrants in the segregated South. Through encounters with local residents and historians, this Chinese American family not only discovers their family’s important role in the Mississippi Delta, but they also learn about the symbiotic relationship between the Black and Chinese communities during the Jim Crow era.
The film provides a window into the struggles of Chinese immigrants in the American South during the late 1800s to mid-1900s and the discrimination they faced. The Chiu family’s history demonstrates how exclusionary immigration laws like the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 separated their family for generations. This deeply moving and unforgettable story offers a poignant and important perspective on race relations, immigration and American identity.
Beyond the Lens: Larissa Lam and Baldwin Chiu, the producers of FAR EAST DEEP SOUTH, open up about uncovering the secrets of Baldwin's family and the roots of Chinese Americans in the South. They also talk about their own experiences growing up Asian American.
Do me a favor. For anyone who wants to understand my heritage as a descendant of legally excluded Chinese, watch this documentary. While my family had a different story, the separation of men as young boys from family members is similar. This was true for almost all Chinese who were in America between 1882-1943. This documentary is extroardinary and you can watch it for free through tomorrow.
A part of this amazing story is also about Chinese living with Black people in the Mississippi Delta. There has been a book about this, but to watch people who lived through tell the story is extraordinary.
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