Sugar Plantations Deployment Timeline

The Sugar Plantation Timeline

The information listed here may differ. Dates and number of plantations brought to Hawaii may differ, depending on the sources used.

Group Year(s) Details
Chinese
1823
Skilled workers arrived to help set up sugar mills
Chinese
1852
Second group of Chinese arrived
Chinese
1856
Last Chinese contract laborers entered Hawaii
Chinese
1900
Chinese Exclusion Act
South Sea Islanders
1859
Ten arrived
South Sea Islanders
1868–1885
About 2,500; some kidnapped (Blackbirding)
Japanese
1868
First small group arrived (140; 40 returned)
Japanese
1884–1907
About 140,000 arrived, predominantly males
Japanese
1900
Okinawan immigration began
Japanese
1907
Gentlemen’s Agreement restricted immigration
Japanese
1907–1924
More than 14,000 picture brides arrived
Japanese
1924
Excluded by National Origins Quota Act
Portuguese
1878–1887
12,780 from Madeira & Azores; families encouraged
Portuguese
1906–1913
At least 5,000 more arrived
Germans
1881–1885
1,279 arrived
Norwegians
1881
About 615 in family groups; included some Swedes
Polish
1897
300–400 from Galicia, Austria-Hungary Empire
Puerto Ricans
1900–1901
Over 5,000 arrived in family groups
Puerto Ricans
1921
683 arrived via HSPA recruitment
Blacks
1900–1901
From Tennessee and Louisiana
Italians
1900–1901
About 100 from Louisiana
Koreans
1903–1905
About 6,500 arrived
Koreans
1910–1923
About 1,000 picture brides
Filipinos
1906–1934
About 120,000 arrived, mostly single males
Filipinos
1934
Tydings-McDuffie Act limited quota to 50
Filipinos
1946
About 7,500 more arrived
Filipinos
1965
Third wave; few for plantations
Russians
1906
About 110 Molokan Russians
Russians
1909–1912
About 1,250 from Siberia & Manchuria
Spaniards
1907–1913
About 8,000; 1,500 remained by 1920
Hindus
1908
About 200 from India; most went to mainland

Chinese

1823

Skilled workers arrived to help set up sugar mills.

1852

Second group of Chinese arrived.

1886

Last Chinese contract laborers entered Hawai‘i.

1900

Chinese Exclusion Act.

South Sea Islanders

1859

Ten arrived.

1868–1885

About 2,500. Some were kidnapped, an act called “Blackbirding.”

Japanese

1855

First small group arrived (140, 40 returned).

1885–1907

About 14,000 came, predominantly males.

1890

Okinawan immigration began.

1900

U.S. Agreement restricted further importation of Japanese laborers.

1907–1924

More than 14,000 picture brides arrived.

1924

Japanese were excluded by the National Origins Quota Act.

Portuguese

1878–1887

About 12,000 came from Madeira and Azores Islands. First to be encouraged to migrate as families.

1906–1913

At least 5,000 more arrived.

Germans

1881–1885

— 1,279.

Norwegians

1881

About 615 in family groups. Included a few Swedes.

Polish

1897

300–400 from the province of Galicia, Poland.

The nation was conquered several times and in 1795 was partitioned among Russia, Prussia, and Austria.

These immigrants were officially from the Austria–Hungary Empire.

Puerto Ricans

1900–1901

More than 5,000 arrived in family groups.

First from one new American colony to another new American colony. Second, and last recruitment by HSPA in Puerto Rico — 633 arrived.

1921

From Tennessee.
About 200 from Louisiana.

Blacks

1900

From Tennessee.
About 200 from Louisiana.

Italians

1900–1901

About 100 from Louisiana.

Koreans

1903–1905

About 6,500.

1910–1923

About 1,000 picture brides came.

Filipinos

1906

About 120,000, predominantly single males.

1934

Tydings–McDuffie Act restricted annual immigration of Filipinos to quota of 50.

1946–1965

Third wave of Filipino migration. Few for plantations.

Russians

1906

About 110 Molokan Russians.

1909–1912

About 1,250 from Siberia and Manchuria.

Spaniards

1907–1913

About 8,000. By 1920 only about 1,500 still in Hawai‘i.

Hindus

1908

About 200 from India. Almost all went on to the mainland.

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