Asians, Asian Americans, and Pacific Islanders in Indiana and at IU

Photographs were selected from the IUB Archives with an eye towards highlighting Asian, Asian American, and Pacific Islander students at earlier stages in the university's history. Where possible, we have included the names of individuals pictured. Unfortunately, many of the photo titles provided only the names of the white professors in the photo, or often simply were given the description "foreign student(s)." We want to recognize that this terminology is problematic given the negative connotations of the term foreign, which emphasizes difference in an exhibit meant to highlight the ways AAPI folks have long belonged to this community. Additionally, since we cannot verify the names of many of these students, we can't be sure of their national origin; while some individuals pictured are international students, some may be US citizens of Asian heritage. Finally, it speaks to the problematic history and politics of archives themselves that the photo titles and captions regularly center the (typically white and male) faculty members by recording their identity while erasing the names of the students around them, for example in captions like "Dean Bain with students from the Philippines." Please do not hesitate to reach out to the librarian using the contact form linked at the bottom of the lefthand column with any comments or concerns.