The Chinese Lady Afong Moy In Early America Nancy E Davis by Nancy E. Davis 9780190645236, 0190645237 instant download after payment.

Americans views of the exotic Far East in this early period before Chinese immigration were less critical than they would later become. Afong Moy became a subject of poetry, a trendsetter for hair styles & new fashions, & a lucky name for winning racehorses. She met Americans face to face in cities & towns across the country, appearing on local stages to sell and to entertain. Yet she also moved in high society, & was the first Chinese guest to be welcomed to the White House.

However, this success was not to last. As her novelty wore off, Afong Moy was cast aside by her managers. Though concerned public citizens rallied in support, her fame dwindled & she spent several years in a New Jersey almshouse. In the late 1840s, P.T. Barnum offered Afong Moy several years of promising renewal as the compatriot of Tom Thumb, yet this stint too was short-lived. In this first biography, Nancy E. Davis sheds light on the mystery of Afong Moy's life as a Chinese woman living in a foreign land.

Nancy E. Davis is curator emeritus of Home & Community Life at the National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution. She has worked as a public historian in local, state, & national museums for more than forty years. Her research in museums & as a lecturer has frequently addressed aspects of Asian influence on American culture.