This Day in History: 2017-04-05
April 12, 1847 – “First Asians Arrive in the United States” – A group of three Chinese students arrived in New York City and became the first Asians to officially enter the United States.
However, Chinese records show that Chinese Buddhist priests
traveled along the West Coast and present-day British Columbia
down to Baja California in 450 A.D. Also, Spanish records show the
existence of Chinese shipbuilders in present-day Southern California
between 1541 and 1746 and Chinese shopkeepers were already in
present-day Los Angeles when the first Anglo Americans arrived.
Though conventionally thought to have played a pivotal role in
American history only from the 19th century forward, Asians have
been in what’s now considered the U.S. longer than Europeans.”
May 12, 1902 - "Joe Gans Becomes World's First African-American Boxing Champion" Joe Gans defeated Frank Erne to become the world's first African-American
to win World Championship in any weight class. He became a world champion a full six years before famed boxer Jack Johnson. This is because Johnson's attempts at challenging for the heavyweight title were thwarted as James J. Jeffries refused to face him. Gans and Johnson were two early champions in a sport dominated by African-Americans throughout the 20th century.