About the book
2023 Caroline Bancroft History Prize from the Denver Public Library
2023 WHA W. Turrentine Jackson Award
From the earliest days of non-Native settlement of Montana, when Chinese immigrants made up more than 10 percent of the territory’s population, Chinese pioneers played a key role in the region’s development. But this population, so crucial to Montana’s history, remains underrepresented in historical accounts, and popular attention to the Chinese in Montana tends to focus on sensational elements—exoticizing Chinese Montanans and distancing their lived experiences from our modern understanding. The Middle Kingdom under the Big Sky seeks to recover the stories of Montana’s Chinese population in their own words and deepen understanding of Chinese experiences in Montana by using a global lens.
Mark T. Johnson has mined several large collections of primary documents left by Chinese pioneers, translated into English here for the first time. These collections, spanning the 1880s through the 1950s, provide insight into the pressures the Chinese community faced—from family members back in China and from non-Chinese Montanans—as economic and cultural disturbances complicated acceptance of Chinese residents in the state. Through their own voices Johnson reveals the agency of Chinese Montanans in the history of the American West and China.
Editions of Middle Kingdom under the Big Sky
- Hardcover
- ISBN 9781496230997
- EBook
- ISBN 9781496231918
- EBook
- ISBN 9781496231925
Read an Excerpt
2023 Caroline Bancroft History Prize from the Denver Public Library
2023 WHA W. Turrentine Jackson Award
From the earliest days of non-Native settlement of Montana, when Chinese immigrants made up more than 10 percent of the territory’s population, Chinese pioneers played a key role in the region’s development. But this population, so crucial to Montana’s history, remains underrepresented in historical accounts, and popular attention to the Chinese in Montana tends to focus on sensational elements—exoticizing Chinese Montanans and distancing their lived experiences from our modern understanding. The Middle Kingdom under the Big Sky seeks to recover the stories of Montana’s Chinese population in their own words and deepen understanding of Chinese experiences in Montana by using a global lens.
Mark T. Johnson has mined several large collections of primary documents left by Chinese pioneers, translated into English here for the first time. These collections, spanning the 1880s through the 1950s, provide insight into the pressures the Chinese community faced—from family members back in China and from non-Chinese Montanans—as economic and cultural disturbances complicated acceptance of Chinese residents in the state. Through their own voices Johnson reveals the agency of Chinese Montanans in the history of the American West and China.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Middle Kingdom under the Big Sky about?
2023 Caroline Bancroft History Prize from the Denver Public Library
2023 WHA W. Turrentine Jackson Award
From the earliest days of non-Native settlement of Montana, when Chinese immigrants made up more than 10 percent of the territory’s population, Chinese pioneers played a key role in the region’s development. But this population, so crucial to Montana’s history, remains underrepresented in historical accounts, and popular attention to the Chinese in Montana tends to focus on sensational elements—exoticizing Chinese Montanans and distancing their lived experiences from our modern understanding. The Middle Kingdom under the Big Sky seeks to recover the stories of Montana’s Chinese population in their own words and deepen understanding of Chinese experiences in Montana by using a global lens.
Mark T. Johnson has mined several large collections of primary documents left by Chinese pioneers, translated into English here for the first time. These collections, spanning the 1880s through the 1950s, provide insight into the pressures the Chinese community faced—from family members back in China and from non-Chinese Montanans—as economic and cultural disturbances complicated acceptance of Chinese residents in the state. Through their own voices Johnson reveals the agency of Chinese Montanans in the history of the American West and China.
What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in Middle Kingdom under the Big Sky?
History and Archaeology > History > History of the Americas
Where can I read a sample of Middle Kingdom under the Big Sky?
You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9781496230997
Who is/are the Author/s of the book Middle Kingdom under the Big Sky?
Mark T. Johnson
Who is the Publisher of the book Middle Kingdom under the Big Sky?
Nebraska
What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?
Middle Kingdom under the Big Sky is available as hardcover(ISBN 9781496230997) and ebook(ISBN 9781496231918) and ebook(ISBN 9781496231925)
Where can I buy Middle Kingdom under the Big Sky online or support local independent bookshops?
You can buy Middle Kingdom under the Big Sky from below
Where can I buy Middle Kingdom under the Big Sky?