What part of the transcontinental railroad did the Chinese work on?
By the time the Union Pacific and Central Pacific railroads met in Utah in 1869, Central Pacific had recruited thousands of additional workers directly from China. When the Transcontinental Railroad was complete, Chinese laborers made up over 90 percent of Central Pacific’s workforce.
How were the Chinese workers on the Central Pacific Railroad treated?
“Chinese received 30-50 percent lower wages than whites for the same job and they had to pay for their own food stuffs,” Chang says. “They also had the most difficult and dangerous work, including tunneling and the use of explosives. There is also evidence they faced physical abuse at times from some supervisors.
Where did Chinese workers build the transcontinental railroad?
Chinese workers were an essential part of building the Central Pacific Railroad (CPRR), the western section of the first transcontinental railroad across the United States.
Are there Chinese workers on the Central Pacific Railroad?
At the start of construction the Central Pacific Railroad had no plans to hire Chinese workers.
Who are the descendants of the Chinese railroad workers?
For descendants of Chinese railroad workers and nineteenth-century Chinese immigrants, the work that Chinese Railroad Workers Project co-directors Shelley Fisher Fishkin and Gordon Chang have achieved is not just about setting the historical record straight; it’s about reclaiming their families’ place in American history.
When did the Chinese railroad workers lay down their tools?
The news and stories that matter, delivered weekday mornings. It happened somewhere between mile 92 and 119. The Chinese railroad workers were grading and digging tunnels across a stretch of the Sierras when they decided to lay down their tools. It was the end of June 1867 and snow still covered the mountain tops.