Transborder Los Angeles: An Unknown Transpacific History of Japanese-Mexican Relations

Transborder Los Angeles explores the intersection of Mexican and Japanese immigrants in Los Angeles farmland between 1924 and 1942, highlighting the development of a triracial hierarchy and the impact of international events on local agriculture.

Format: Hardback
Length: 274 pages
Publication date: 18 October 2022
Publisher: University of California Press

Transborder Los Angeles is a groundbreaking work that explores the intertwined narratives of Mexican and Japanese immigrants in the region between the Immigration Act of 1924 and the Japanese Internment in 1942. Author Yu Tokunaga delves into the complex history of Southern California farmland, where ethnic Japanese and Mexicans played a significant role in developing local agriculture, which was one of the major industries in LA County before World War II. Through this lens, Tokunaga examines the formation of a unique triracial hierarchy on the farms, which brought together local issues and international concerns beyond the Pacific Ocean and the US-Mexico border.

By presenting these experiences in a single narrative form, Tokunaga breaks new ground by demonstrating the close relationships between the ban on Japanese immigration, Mexican farmworkers' strikes, wartime Japanese removal, and the Bracero Program. This book offers a fresh perspective on the history of Los Angeles and sheds light on the complex dynamics that shaped the region during this period.

In conclusion, Transborder Los Angeles is a must-read for anyone interested in understanding the history of immigration, race, and labor in Southern California. Tokunaga's meticulous research and insightful analysis provide a valuable contribution to our understanding of this important period in American history.

Weight: 499g
Dimension: 229 x 152 x 23 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780520379787