Chinese Camp, courtesy National Parks Service

Legacy of the Transcontinental Railroad: An Oral History Project on Chinese Railroad Workers

For such an important part of our history, we have very little historical documentation from the perspectives of Chinese railroad workers. Oral histories can help fill this gap to bring human stories to light.

^{Top Image: Chinese Camp, courtesy National Parks Service
Bottom Image: Cabinet Map of the Western States and Territories, courtesy David Rumsey Map Collection}

Overview

In this facilitated dialogue, Maxine Hong Kingston and Michael Solorio, both descendants of Chinese railroad workers, and Dr. Sue Fawn Chung, a historian of Chinese-American history, discuss the history and legacy of Chinese railroad workers who helped construct the U.S. Transcontinental Railroad between 1863 and 1869.

Conducted by historian Dr. Laura Dominguez, the conversation brings together personal and scholarly perspectives on migration, labor, and memory within Chinese American communities.

This project is in partnership between National Park Service, the National Park Foundation, and American Conservation Experience (“ACE”), with grant funding from the Mellon Foundation.

Watch, Listen, or Read the Oral History

All Ages Content

The "All Ages" version was edited to be appropriate for K-12 students. Explicit language and graphic descriptions have been removed. The overall content and messages remains the same. We recommend that teachers or parents review the content prior to dissemination.

Full Length

Cabinet Map of the Western States and Territories, courtesy David Rumsey Map Collection

Learn More About The Project

New Perspectives in Transcontinental Railroad History: An Interview with Laura Dominguez

Learn about recent efforts by the National Park Service (NPS) to commemorate and interpret the Transcontinental Railroad. Themes explored include public memory, community engagement, and the potential role of the humanities in NPS research and education initiatives.

Read the Article