Cambodians in Long Beach,California

Abstract

Long Beach, California is home to the largest population of Cambodians outside Cambodia and is the symbolic and actual center of the worldwide Cambodian diaspora. Despite the significance of this community for both Cambodians and Long Beach, little is known about the social, historical, political, and economic processes leading to its formation. This paper situates the growth of the community within particular historical moments at both national and local levels through a chronological presentation of key events from the 1950s through the 1990s. The paper provides insights into the experiences of a largely refugee population and the new Asian immigration to the United States.