Charlotta Bass and Her Legacy of Asian American Solidarity
Charlotta Bass’s work with Asian American communities for social justice is a testament to her vision of an inclusive, multi-racial democracy.
Charlotta Bass, a pioneering African American journalist, publisher, and civil rights leader, left an indelible mark on American history through her work advocating for racial equality and social justice. Most widely known for her role as the editor and publisher of the California Eagle, one of the oldest Black newspapers on the West Coast, Bass’s activism transcended racial boundaries, extending into a broader fight for marginalized communities. Her work with Asian American communities is a critical aspect of her legacy, as she fought against the discrimination that these various ethnic groups faced – particularly in California.
Bass’s Early Activism and Advocacy
Charlotta Bass took over the California Eagle in 1912 and quickly transformed the newspaper into a platform for activism. While her focus was primarily on African American civil rights, Bass was an advocate for all oppressed groups. Her commitment to cross-racial solidarity was evident in her editorials, articles, and public speeches, where she continuously emphasized the interconnectedness of struggles for justice.
As a resident of California, a state with significant Asian American populations—particularly Chinese and Japanese immigrants—Bass encountered firsthand the systemic racism and legal discrimination faced by Asian Americans. During the early 20th century, these communities were subjected to harsh immigration restrictions, exclusionary laws, and exploitative labor conditions. Bass understood that the racial oppression experienced by Asian Americans paralleled the struggles of Black Americans and thus made their cause a focus in her advocacy. In her Vice-President candidacy speech she stated, “I have fought not only for my people. I have fought and will continue to fight unceasingly for the rights and privileges of all people who are oppressed and who are denied their just share of the world’s goods their labor produces. I have walked and will continue to walk in picket lines for the right of all men and women, of all races, to organize for their own protection and advancement.”
The Fight Against the Asian Exclusion Act
One of the most significant contributions Bass made to Asian American activism was her opposition to the legislative harassment that these communities faced. In particular, the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, followed by the Immigration Act of 1924, barred Asian immigrants from entering the United States and restricted citizenship opportunities for those already residing in the country. These laws were based on the racist perception of Asian people as undesirable and incompatible with the American way of life.
Through the pages of the California Eagle, Bass raised awareness about the injustices of the exclusion laws, condemning them as discriminatory, xenophobic, and antithetical to the principles of democracy. She believed that targeting one group of people based on race threatened the civil liberties of all Americans, regardless of their background. By standing against exclusionary laws, Bass positioned herself as a key ally in the fight for Asian American civil rights. In her editorial “American Color Prejudice Seen in Treatment of Chinese Americans,“(1940) Bass wrote:
“What we are concerned about primarily is the American-born Chinese who is just as much an American as any other American-born person of foreign parentage. Do democratic principles apply to American Chinese the same as to the American German and English? They do not–at least they are not put into practice.”
Her editorials were a form of bridge-building, as she worked to foster solidarity between Black and Asian American communities. She argued that racial injustice was a common enemy and encouraged her readers to see the interconnectedness of their struggles. This advocacy reflected Bass’s broader political philosophy that true freedom for Black Americans could not be achieved without addressing the systemic injustices faced by other racial minorities.
Support for Japanese Americans During World War II
Charlotta Bass’s commitment to Asian American communities was perhaps most visible during the fraught period of World War II. After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, anti-Japanese sentiment in the United States reached a fever pitch. The U.S. government, driven by fear, racism, and war hysteria, forcibly removed over 120,000 Japanese Americans from their homes and placed them in internment camps under Executive Order 9066.
While many Americans, including political leaders and the media, supported the internment policy, Charlotta Bass was one of the few public figures who openly condemned it. Through the California Eagle, she criticized the forced relocation as an unjust and unconstitutional act of racial discrimination. Bass argued that Japanese Americans, many of whom were U.S. citizens, were being scapegoated and unfairly treated due to their race. She urged her readers to view the internment as a grave violation of civil rights, akin to the segregation and disenfranchisement faced by African Americans in the South. In her editorial “A Point Well Taken, We Think“(1943) she wrote:
Persecution of the Japanese-American minority has been one of the disgraceful aspects of the nation’s conduct of this People’s War. With sincere penitence for past omissions (although we have many times asserted that the anti-Japanese campaign is Hearst, i.e., fascists inspired) we print below a collection of pointed quotes by the Pacific Coast Committee on American Principles and Fair Play:
Bass’s bold stance on the Japanese internment issue was not without risk. Her vocal opposition to the government’s actions led to significant backlash, and she faced criticism from both Black and white Americans who supported the war effort. Nonetheless, Bass remained resolute, using her platform to speak out against injustice wherever she saw it. Her unwavering commitment to justice during this period marked her as a staunch defender of civil liberties for all Americans, not just African Americans.
Building Black and Asian Solidarity in Labor Movements
Charlotta Bass also recognized the importance of labor movements in advancing racial and social justice. During the early 20th century, both Black and Asian American workers in California faced harsh working conditions, economic exploitation, and racial discrimination in employment. Many of these workers, particularly Chinese, Japanese,and Filipino immigrants, worked in agriculture, domestic service, and other low-wage industries where they were often paid meager wages and denied basic labor rights.
Bass used the California Eagle as a vehicle to support labor organizing efforts that sought to unite Black and Asian workers. She covered the struggles of Asian American workers, highlighting the need for cross-racial solidarity in the fight against exploitative labor practices. In one notable instance, Bass reported on the strike of Filipino farmworkers in California’s agricultural fields during the 1930s. These workers, like Black sharecroppers in the South, were fighting for better wages and working conditions in an industry that was structured around racial hierarchies.
Bass’s advocacy for labor rights was grounded in her belief that economic justice was inextricably tied to racial justice. She argued that racial minorities, whether Black or Asian, could only achieve true freedom and equality if they joined together to challenge the exploitative systems that oppressed them.
A Legacy of Intersectional Advocacy
Charlotta Bass’s work with Asian American communities for social justice is a testament to her vision of an inclusive, multi-racial democracy. Her advocacy was rooted in a deep understanding that the fight for civil rights was not limited to one group but rather was part of a broader struggle against all forms of oppression.
Bass’s legacy in building cross-racial alliances between Black and Asian American communities laid the groundwork for future coalitions in the fight for racial justice. Her work anticipated the intersectional approach to activism that has become a cornerstone of contemporary social justice movements. By recognizing the shared experiences of Black and Asian Americans in their struggles against racism, labor exploitation, and exclusion, Bass demonstrated the power of solidarity in confronting systemic inequality.