Marriage, Migration, and the U.S. Military in the Pacific

Marriage and intimacy are frequently overlooked in the study of U.S. immigration. In this talk, historian Sonia C. Gomez will explore how marriage shaped immigration patterns for the Japanese in America. During the period of racial exclusion (1908–1952), intimacy created limited pathways of admission for Japanese women. Permitted to enter the U.S. as wives, their inclusion served broader American interests in the Pacific, setting a precedent for later immigration legislation that privileged spouses and fiancés. This presentation will shed light on the intersection between intimacy, immigration, and U.S. imperialism in the Pacific.