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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

Tufts University
Degree: BA
Country: United States
University of California, Berkeley
History
Degree: MA
Year of Graduation: 1993
Country: United States
Master's degree
University of California, Berkeley
History
Degree: PhD
Year of Graduation: 1998
Country: United States
Doctoral degree

Awards

Immigrant Heritage Award in Education
2015
Organization: Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation
Result: 受賞
Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association Award
2016
Work: The Making of Asian America: A History
Organization: Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association
Result: 受賞
Andrew Carnegie Fellowship
2018
Organization: Andrew Carnegie Corporation (Fellowship)
Result: 受賞
Distinguished Historian Award
2018
Organization: Society for Historians of the Gilded Age and Progressive Era
Result: 受賞
Distinguished Lecturer (Organization of American Historians)
2018
Organization: Organization of American Historians
Result: 受賞
Richard Frisbie Award (Honoree)
2019
Organization: Society of Midland Authors
Result: 受賞
American Book Awards
2020
Organization: Before Columbus Foundation
Result: 受賞

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

At America's Gates: Chinese Immigration during the Exclusion Era, 1882–1943

2003 Nonfiction, History

A scholarly examination of Chinese immigration and U.S. gatekeeping during the exclusion era (1882–1943), highlighting institutional exclusion and immigrant experiences.

Immigration historyExclusion policiesLegal institutions

Angel Island: Immigrant Gateway to America

2010 Nonfiction, History

Coauthored work that presents the history of arrivals and inspections at Angel Island, featuring immigrant testimonies and archival records.

Immigrant gatewaysInspection and detentionDocumentary history

The Making of Asian America: A History

2016 Nonfiction, History

A comprehensive history of Asian Americans covering immigration, discrimination, community formation, and cultural contributions; an accessible scholarly survey.

Asian American historyDiscrimination and inclusionCommunity formation

America for Americans: A History of Xenophobia in the United States

2019 Nonfiction, History

Traces the long history of xenophobia in the United States and analyzes how exclusionary attitudes have shaped politics and society.

XenophobiaExclusion movementsPolitical history

Made in Asian America: a History for Young People

2024 Nonfiction, Youth/ Educational History

Coauthored history of Asian America aimed at young readers (coauthored with Christina Soontornvat), written in an accessible format for educational use.

Educational historyYoung readersAsian American history

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.