From Yellowface to Whitewashing: Hollywood’s Historical Exclusion of Asian Americans in Film (1920 - 1980)

Abstract

This thesis explores the historical marginalization of Asian Americans in Hollywood films from the 1920s to the 1980s, placing practices like yellowface and whitewashing in the context of wider histories involving race, immigration, propaganda, and American imperialism. By viewing Hollywood as both a cultural establishment and a historical actor, this research examines how the film industry mirrored and supported the racial hierarchies ingrained in American culture and legislation. The study utilizes primary sources such as films, archival documents, and modern media discussions to illustrate how Hollywood's representations of Asians were influenced by – and in turn influenced – significant historical events, ranging from the enactment of the Chinese Exclusion Act and the Immigration Act of 1924 to World War II's racial propaganda and the Cold War's anti-communist fears. This paper offers a chronological examination over five key periods, exploring how Hollywood's racial portrayals evolved alongside shifting national policies and global politics. It highlights the continuity of exclusionary practices even as the United States’ global alliances changed. Importantly, the thesis also examines the emergence of Asian American resistance in the 1960s and 1970s, situating media activism within broader civil rights and anti-imperialist movements. The final section considers the lasting legacy of these exclusionary practices and the ongoing fight for authentic representation.