This Day in History: 0000-08-25
1959 – “Asian American Elected to U.S. Senate for First Time
” Hiram Fong, who was one of Hawaii’s most prominent and successful businessmen at the time, was elected to represent Hawaii in the U.S. Senate. He became the first Asian American elected to the legislative body. He was also the first Asian American to seek the Republican party’s nomination for resident of the United States. Fong was the first in a long line of Asian American elected officials to represent Hawaii, including Daniel Inouye, Daniel Akaka and Mazie Hirono.
June 24, 1867 - "Thousands of Chinese Railroad Laborers Strike in Western U.S." Between 5,000-7,000 thousand Chinese laborers working on the Transcontinental Railroad staged a strike in the Sierras to protest overseers who whipped and restrained them from seeking other work. They won the right not to be whipped or beaten. A second strike in Nevada desert won Chinese laborers the right to receive the same pay as their White counterparts. But the Chinese were still required to buy their own supplies while Whites got free room, board and supplies.