From the Land of Hibiscus: Koreans in Hawaii, 1903-1950

by Yong-Ho Ch'Oe (Editor)

In 1903, 102 Koreans migrated to Hawai'i in search of wealth and fortune--the first in their country's history to live in the Western world. Thousands followed. Most of them, however, found only hardship while working as sugar plantation laborers. Soon after their departure, Korea was colonized by Japan, and overnight they became "international orphans" with no government to protect them. Setting aside their original goal of bettering their own lives, these Korean immigrants redirected their energies to restoring their country's sovereignty, turning Hawai'i into a crucially important base of Korean nationalism.

296 pages, Hardcover

First published November 1, 2006