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Fun Facts​​​

  • There were an estimated 24.7 million Asian alone-or-in-combination residents in the United States in 2022.​

  • There were an estimated 5.5 million people of Chinese (except Taiwanese) descent in the United States in 2022. The Chinese (except Taiwanese) population was the largest Asian group, followed by Asian Indian (4.9 million), Filipino (4.5 million), Vietnamese (2.3 million), Korean (2.1 million), and Japanese (1.6 million). These estimates represent individuals who reported a specific detailed Asian group alone as well as those who reported that detailed Asian group in combination with one or more other detailed Asian groups or other race(s). 2.5% of the Asian alone-or-in-combination population in 2022 were military veterans.​

  • There were an estimated 642,950 Asian-owned firms with paid employees in the United States in 2021.

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​Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander Population:

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  • There are an estimated 1.8 million Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone-or-in-combination residents of the United States in 2022.

  • There were an estimated 714,847 Native Hawaiian residents of the United States in 2022.

  • The Native Hawaiian population was the largest detailed Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander (NHPI) group, followed by Samoan (264,392) and Chamorro (152,006). These estimates represent the number of people who reported a specific detailed NHPI group alone as well as those who reported that detailed NHPI group in combination with one or more other detailed NHPI groups or other race(s).

  • 6.6% of the Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone-or-in-combination population in 2022 were military veterans.

  • 25.8% of the Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone-or-in-combination population age 25 and older in 2022 had a bachelor’s degree or higher.

  • 89.8% of the Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone-or-in-combination population age 25 and older in 2022 had at least a high school diploma or equivalency.

  • 8,324 There were an estimated 8,324 Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander-owned U.S. firms with paid employees in 2021.

 

Source https://www.census.gov/newsroom/facts-for-features/2024/asian-american-pacific-islander.html​

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Railroad Construction

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  • Between 1865 and 1869, Chinese immigrants played a crucial, yet often overlooked, role in constructing the western section of the transcontinental railroad, facing dangerous conditions and prejudice, while making up a significant portion of the workforce.

  • The Central Pacific Railroad, tasked with building the western half of the transcontinental railroad, faced a labor shortage and turned to Chinese immigrants, who eventually made up 90% of the workforce.

  • The Chinese workers faced extremely dangerous conditions, including rockslides, explosions, and exposure to harsh weather, while also being paid significantly less than their white counterparts.

  • The Chinese laborers were instrumental in blasting and tunneling through the granite Sierra Nevada mountains, and in laying track across the Great Basin.

  • In 1867, about 3,000 Chinese workers went on strike to demand equal pay with white workers, though the strike ended without pay parity, working conditions did improve.

  • Despite their crucial role, the contributions of Chinese railroad workers are often overlooked in historical narratives, and efforts are underway to record and save as much of this chapter in American history as possible.

  • The transcontinental railroad, built in part by Chinese labor, connected the eastern and western United States, laying the foundation for economic prosperity and fueling the country's rapid growth.

  • After the completion of the railroad, many Chinese workers dispersed to other projects across the country, and faced rising anti-Chinese sentiment, leading to the passage of the Chinese Exclusion Act in 1882.

 

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