In 1875 President Ulysses S. Grant signed the first of nearly a century of U.S. laws restricting Chinese immigration,leaving behind a legacy of split families and lost histories among Chinese American immigrants.

Producer Baldwin Chiu’s acclaimed documentary Far East Deep South follows his own family’s search for theirroots in the Mississippi Delta, where they discover a surprising family history during the era of racial segregation.This deeply moving and unforgettable story offers a poignant and important perspective on immigration, Americanidentity, and the history that you didn’t learn in school. After premiering on the PBS World Channel in 2021, the filmreceived multiple awards at film festivals across the U.S.

After the screening, Chiu and Peter Tao, a leader of the local effort to record and share Chinese American history in St. Louis, will lead a discussion and Q&A about “discovering the past you never knew.”

This event is free and open to the public, but reservations are requested. Please call the Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site at 314-842-1867 ext. 223 to RSVP.

2:00 Introductions and presentations

3:00 Film screening of Far East Deep South

4:15 Q&A

5:00 Reception

Presented by UMSL History Department, UMSL Global, and Grant National Historic Site