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Edition 0 (2010) Winner
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Edition 0 (2015) Winner
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Edition 0 (2020) Winner
Erika Lee
エリカ・リー
Erika Lee
Profile
- Gender
- Female
- Nationality
- United States
- Languages
- English
- Residence History
- San Francisco Bay Area, California → Minneapolis, Minnesota → Cambridge, Massachusetts
Career
- Occupations
- Historian, Author, Professor
- Active Years
- 1998-
- Affiliations
- University of Minnesota (Immigration History Research Center), Harvard University (Bae Family Professor of History)
- Memberships
- American Academy of Arts and Sciences
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tufts University | — | — | BA | — | United States |
| University of California, Berkeley | — | History | MA | — | United States |
| University of California, Berkeley | — | History | PhD | — | United States |
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Immigrant Heritage Award in Education | — | — | Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation | 受賞 |
| 2016 | Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association Award | The Making of Asian America: A History | — | Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association | 受賞 |
| 2018 | Andrew Carnegie Fellowship | — | — | Andrew Carnegie Corporation (Fellowship) | 受賞 |
| 2018 | Distinguished Historian Award | — | — | Society for Historians of the Gilded Age and Progressive Era | 受賞 |
| 2018 | Distinguished Lecturer (Organization of American Historians) | — | — | Organization of American Historians | 受賞 |
| 2019 | Richard Frisbie Award (Honoree) | — | — | Society of Midland Authors | 受賞 |
| 2020 | American Book Awards | — | — | Before Columbus Foundation | 受賞 |
Awards & Nominations
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Edition 41 (2020) Winner
Works
Major Works
At America's Gates: Chinese Immigration during the Exclusion Era, 1882–1943
2003 Nonfiction, HistoryA scholarly examination of Chinese immigration and U.S. gatekeeping during the exclusion era (1882–1943), highlighting institutional exclusion and immigrant experiences.
Angel Island: Immigrant Gateway to America
2010 Nonfiction, HistoryCoauthored work that presents the history of arrivals and inspections at Angel Island, featuring immigrant testimonies and archival records.
The Making of Asian America: A History
2016 Nonfiction, HistoryA comprehensive history of Asian Americans covering immigration, discrimination, community formation, and cultural contributions; an accessible scholarly survey.
America for Americans: A History of Xenophobia in the United States
2019 Nonfiction, HistoryTraces the long history of xenophobia in the United States and analyzes how exclusionary attitudes have shaped politics and society.
Made in Asian America: a History for Young People
2024 Nonfiction, Youth/ Educational HistoryCoauthored history of Asian America aimed at young readers (coauthored with Christina Soontornvat), written in an accessible format for educational use.
Bibliography
- At America's Gates: Chinese Immigration during the Exclusion Era, 1882–1943
- Angel Island: Immigrant Gateway to America (with Judy Yung)
- The Making of Asian America: A History
- America for Americans: A History of Xenophobia in the United States
- Made in Asian America: a History for Young People (with Christina Soontornvat)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- Scholarly yet accessible prose aimed at general readersCombines archival-based narrative with analytical interpretation
- Recurring Motifs
- Immigration and bordersExclusion and discriminationCommunity formation and resistance
Legacy
Erika Lee is a widely recognized historian and author in Asian American and immigration history, influencing both academic and popular audiences. Through university roles and public history projects she has contributed significantly to the education and study of immigration.
Academic Societies
- Society for Historians of the Gilded Age and Progressive Era
- American Historical Association
- American Academy of Arts and Sciences
Archives
- Immigration History Research Center Archives (University of Minnesota)
In Popular Culture
- The youth-oriented coauthored book 'Made in Asian America' has influenced educational use and engagement among general readers.
Trivia
- Grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area as the granddaughter of Chinese immigrants.
- Named inaugural Bae Family Professor of History at Harvard University in 2023.
- Coauthored 'Made in Asian America: a History for Young People' (2024) with Christina Soontornvat.
- Has received multiple awards for work on Asian American history, including an American Book Award and an Andrew Carnegie Fellowship.