1media/background-generic-7.png2023-03-31T18:11:05+00:00Yellow Peril Representations27image_header2023-07-31T18:26:22+00:00The "Yellow Peril" is a racist metaphor used to describe Eastern, Oriental, and Asian people for the last two hundred years. Different versions of the Yellow Peril surface whenever there is an economic, political or social need to scapegoat Asian groups.
The Yellow Peril is often seen in racist propaganda imagery used to create moral panics around Asian identity, society, and culture. These representations are well-known for contributing to policies in the United States, such as the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 and The Japanese American Internment. Similar imagery was reused more recently during the Asian Bird Flu and Covid-19 pandemics. You may remember news headlines of Asian Americans being targeted and blamed for the spread of Covid-19. The same rhetoric used to spread hate against the Asian American community during this time has been used throughout United States history.
Let's Explore!
Flip through the timeline to see how Yellow Peril stereotypes and representations have been used throughout history.
Let's Talk About It!
1. How do these representations depict Japanese and other Asian people? How are these representations similar or different over time? 2. How would you feel if these images were used to describe you? 3. Watch the Superman short film below. How does Superman repeat some of the same themes or ideas from the Yellow Peril images on the timeline?
