The main source of information for this talk is the speaker’s recently published anthology on this subject. The anthology consists of records of oral interviews as well a large number of published reports and analysis.
The focus of the talk will be on Chinese Americans’ involvement and contributions during and after the tragedy. Although in the past many Chinese Americans were abruptly thrown together with the fates of other Americans who suffered from the attacks. They shared the same patriotic outrage, were unanimous in condemning the terrorists and supporting the response of the U.S. government, and thus paradoxically completely identified themselves with American society for the first time.
Thus September 11 tragedy was not only a pivotal moment in American history, but also in the history of Chinese Americans. The speaker has devised the spelling “Chinese American” to signify that Chinese Americans are an integral and inseparable part of the American people and the American nation.
