The White Devil's Daughters: The Women Who Fought Slavery in San Francisco's Chinatown

(Paperback)

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From the bestselling author of The House of Mondavi- a riveting, revelatory history of the trafficking of young Asian girls that flourished in San Francisco during the first hundred years of Chinese immigration (1848-1943)--and the safe house that became a refuge for those seeking their freedom. Beginning in 1874, the Occidental Mission Home on the edge of San Francisco's Chinatown served as a gateway to freedom for thousands of enslaved young Chinese women and girls. Run by Donaldina "Dolly" Cameron (known to her enemies as the White Devil of Chinatown), Tien Fuh Wu, and other courageous female abolitionists, it survived earthquakes, fire, bubonic plague, and violent attacks. With compassion and an investigative historian's sharp eye, Siler tells the story of this remarkable safe house. She shows how Dolly and her colleagues defied contemporary convention--even occasionally breaking the law--by physically rescuing children from the brothels where they worked or by snatching them off ships as they were being smuggled in--and how they helped bring the exploiters to justice. She shares the moving stories of the girls and young women who sought refuge at the mission. And she writes about the lives these women went on to lead. The White Devil's Daughters is a remarkable chapter in an overlooked part of our history, a story of exploitation, resistance, and hope.

Reviews

Meticulously researched and inspiring . . . [Siler] recounts the bravery of the women who dared escape their imprisonment and the devotion of the women who ensured their safety . . . Some of the books best scenes are gripping legal trials where Donaldina Cameron helps to set precedents for immigrant womens rights . . . A reminder that our political gestures and small wins accumulate and create ripple effects in ways we cannot often measure . . . Looking at [the Cameron House] after reading Silers book is a terrific reminder of a how a lifes work is built: brick by brick. San Francisco Chronicle

A solid introduction to an inspiring and, yes, heroic struggle against a barbaric practice . . . Siler has provided a usefully broad view of the fight against slavery in San Franciscos Chinatown, one especially effective in giving voice to previously underappreciated figures. The New York Times Book Review

Siler offers readers a sympathetic if at times critical account of this largely unknown story. Her smooth prose and vivid descriptions, as well as the numerous photographs reproduced throughout the book, create a compelling picture of life in the rough-and-tumble world of San Franciscos Chinatown. The Wall Street Journal

Vividly captures the atmosphere of sex trafficking in the late 19th and early 20th centuries . . . A wonderful storyteller, Siler places determined Dolly Cameron, leader of the Presbyterian Mission Home, and her assistant Tien Fuh Wu at the center of the struggle and brings to light a little-known chapter in U.S. history. Minneapolis Star Tribune

Intensely well-researched . . . Siler digs into archives and private records to tell the real life stories of young women who fled their country or dire situations to seek refuge. . . . The lives and activities of Cameron and Wuearly feminists, agents for change, civil rights activists, some men, and yes, women faithful to Christian or other religious beliefs and practicesare riveting and personal. Siler provides sweeping perspective on the eras racism, immigration, and womens position in society. Photographs throughout the book offer vivid reproductions of San Francisco at the turn of the 20th century. Oakland Magazine

Shines a historical spotlight on a problem that continues to plague the world today . . . Silers research is thorough, [and] these events make for compelling reading. The Free Lance-Star(Fredericksburg, VA)

An astonishing tale of devotion and heroism [and] a revealing glimpse into mid-19th-century San Francisco . . . Its the women themselves who fill the books pagesBessie Jeong, who became one of the first women physicians of her era, and Tien Fuh Wu, who became Camerons longtime ally in the fight for womens rights . . . Silers descriptions of the crowded Cameron House are indelible. The Mercury News

An eye-opening account of the valiant work of a handful of Christian women against the enslavement of Asian girls in San Franciscos Chinatown from the mid-1870s well into the next century. In her latest impressive work of research and storytelling, Siler delves vigorously into a shocking story of racism and oppression. [She] vividly portrays both the vibrant, violent milieu of Chinatown of the eraamid the fear and hatred of the Chinese by whites and the effects of laws such as the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882and the lives and dedication of the extraordinary women of the Mission House. An accessible, well-written, riveting tale of a dismal, little-known corner of American history. Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

In this incisive history, journalist Siler uses the biographies of Donaldina Cameron and her longtime assistant, Tien Fuh Wu, to tell the story of San Franciscos Presbyterian Mission Home. . . . Their campaigns included literal rescues from sexual or household slavery as well as providing protection and a home to women and girls fleeing enslavement, forced marriages, and other forms of exploitation. . . . Siler offers a fascinating example of the urgency and ambiguity of turn-of-the-century social reform movements and reformers. Booklist

Gripping . . . Siler vividly recounts a shocking episode from Americas past . . . This strong story will fascinate readers interested in the history of women, immigration, and racism. Publishers Weekly

Julia Flynn Siler has written a diamond of a booksolidly researched, polished, and crafted with a cutting edge. The White Devil's Daughters tells an unforgettable story of exploitation, oppression, and resistance, showing how the enslavement of Chinese women was woven into the birth of Asian America in nineteenth-century San Francisco. Most important, Siler rescues the remarkable women who waged war on this criminal trade, inside and outside the law, even as they battled pervasive anti-Chinese bigotry. This book is not only rewarding, but necessary." T.J. Stiles, winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Custer's Trials and The First Tycoon

Unveils a remarkable and controversial chapter of Chinatown history. Sounding a warning gong in a world still plagued by human trafficking,The White Devils Daughtersis a timely book and a valuable lesson in caring for the suffering of fellow humans while looking for a real cure. Yunte Huang, author ofInseparable

Author Bio

Julia Flynn Siler is a New York Times best-selling author and journalist. Her most recent book is Lost Kingdom- Hawaii's Last Queen, the Sugar Kings, and America's First Imperial Adventure. Her first book, The House of Mondavi- The Rise and Fall of an American Wine Dynasty, was a finalist for a James Beard Award and a Gerald Loeb Award for distinguished reporting. A veteran journalist, Siler is a longtime contributor and former staff writer for The Wall Street Journal and has been a guest commentator on CNBC, CNN, and the BBC. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband and their two sons.