Korean Pioneers: The History, Identity, and Legacy of the First Korean Americans

In examining Korean American history, the starting date for their arrival is conventionally recognized as 1903, when roughly 7,000 laborers migrated to Hawaii. This first wave consisted primarily of young men, many of whom didn’t plan to stay in the US. However, as their stays continued and other Koreans continued migrating, they began developing a unique cultural identity within the United States. This paper aims to determine the unique identities that developed during this first wave of immigration between 1903 and 1945, how they assimilated, and how they interacted with other ethnic minorities and later waves of Korean immigrants. The research revolves around the specific wave of Korean immigration in the early 1900s. The paper will explore census data, personal accounts, and general literature written on the Korean immigration experience. Similarly, I aim to include a geographic element, examining how differences emerged between Koreans who moved to Hawaii, California, and the Mountain West. Through these varied lenses, it should become clear how the first Korean immigrants to the US developed a distinct cultural footprint and how that identity established a legacy for future Korean immigrants.