In this video, Dr. Jesse Lee explores how Japanese American Buddhists navigated complex legal and cultural barriers in the early 20th century, using religious identity as a strategic tool to overcome immigration restrictions like the Johnson-Reed Act of 1924.
Then & Now is a new video series where APARRI scholars connect history to the present, telling stories about APA religions and cultures and why they still matter today. Dr. Jesse Lee is a postdoctoral research associate for the John C. Danforth Center on Religion and Politics at Washington University in St. Louis. He researches the intersection of religion, race, and American law, especially in the context of Asian American religious history.
Watch the video (& follow for more updates) here!