Corky Lee's Asian America: Fifty Years of Photographic Justice

by Corky Lee, Mae Ngai, Chee Wang Ng (Editor)

A collection of over 200 breathtaking photos celebrating the history and cultural impact of the Asian American social justice movement, from a beloved photographer who sought to change the world, one photograph at a time

“For generations, Corky taught us how to see ourselves—as individuals and as a community.” — Hua Hsu, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Stay True

Known throughout his lifestyime as the “undisputed, unofficial Asian American photographer laureate,” the late photojournalist Corky Lee documented Asian American and Pacific Islander communities for fifty years, breaking the stereotype of Asian Americans as docile, passive, and, above all, foreign to this country. Corky Lee’s Asian America is a stunning retrospective of his life’s work--a selection of the best photographs from his vast collection, from his start in New York’s Chinatown in the 1970s to his coverage of diverse Asian American communities across the country until his untimely passing in 2021.

Corky Lee's Asian America traces Lee’s decades-long quest for photographic justice, following Asian American social movements for recognition and rights alongside his artistic development as an activist social photographer. Iconic photographs feature protests against police brutality in New York in the 1970s, a Sikh man draped in an American flag after 9/11, and a reenactment of the completion of the transcontinental railroad of 1869 featuring descendants of Chinese railroad workers, and his last photos of community life and struggle during the coronavirus pandemic. Asian American writers, artists, activists, and friends of Lee reflect on his life and career and provide rich historical and cultural context to his photographs, including a foreword from writer Hua Hsu and contributions from artist Ai Weiwei, filmmaker Renée Tajima-Peña, writer Helen Zia, photographer Alan Chin, historian Gordon Chang, playwright David Henry Hwang, and more.

Featuring never-before-seen photographs alongside his best-known images, Corky Lee’s Asian America represents Lee’s mission to chronicle a history of inclusion, resistance, ethnic pride, and patriotism. This is a remarkable documentation of vital moments in Asian American history and a timely reminder that it’s also a history that we continue to make.

Genres: Photography, History, Nonfiction, Art, Asian American, Art and Photography, Asian Literature

320 pages, Hardcover

Published April 9, 2024

Reviews

[Mai H. · Rating 4 out of 5]

As I try to educate myself on Asian American history, as American history books have next to nothing, I am rather embarrassed to say I did not know who Corky was before this book, or his important contributions to Asian American society as we know it. Unfortunately, he passed from COVID in 2021, but he leaves a history of photographs behind.

An early pioneer of social justice in NYC Chinatown, Corky's coverage of various Asian American events from the 1970s onward is truly great. He began his career capturing fellow Chinese Americans, but eventually sought out others from South and Southeast Asian communities.

These photographs and stories from friends are quite uplifting. They are an important history of inclusion, resistance, and ethnic pride. There is hate, but there is also love.

📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Clarkson Potter

[Nick Klagge]

A great book about a really important figure over the last 50 years of Asian American history--the self-styled "Undisputed, Unofficial Asian-American Photographer Laureate." Not only (of course) lots of great photos, but many interesting short essays by people, both famous and otherwise, who crossed paths with Corky in one way or another. I like the format of many short essays rather than a smaller number of longer ones.

Highly recommended for anyone with an interest in Asian American history in general, or Manhattan Chinatown specifically!

[Star Gater · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Clarkson Potter/Ten Speed Press | Clarkson Potter for allowing me to read and review Corky Lee's Asian America
Fifty Years of Photographic Justice on NetGalley.

Published: 04/09/24

Stars: 4.5

Incredible.

I wasn't aware of Lee or his work prior to picking up this book. The photographs are amazing and timeless. Respectfully he had an eye for eyes. The photographs are lifelike. There are reportedly over 200 photographs with each one captioned. In addition there are short writings throughout describing the time period and what is happening.

I was impressed with the quality and saddened by a lot of the context.

This would be a great gift for one familiar with Lee, someone interested in history or a nonfiction reader.

[Natalie Park · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Net Galley and and Clarkson Potter for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. Corky Lee's 50+ years of photography specifically of the Asian American experience from the 1970s until his death in 2021 tells a vivid story of Asian Americans starting in Manhattan's Chinatown and branching to many other parts of the US, depending on where the story took him. The book is curated with wonderful photographs that tell the story accompanied by short essays but those who knew him, were involved in certain events or were affected by Corky's perseverance, strength and energy to document and change the lives of Asian Americans through his many endeavors. This is a must read for those especially interested in Asian American history. I highly recommend this book!

[Book Buying With Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a badass omg. So many iconic moments of Asian American history captured by this incredible man. Learned so much about recent AAPI history through this book.

[Amy Lime · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

This is a beautiful collection of over 200 photographs by Corky Lee, our unofficial Asian American photographer laureate 🌟

Corky’s work documents Asian American communities in their everyday lives and their struggles for justice. Not only are they amazing pieces of art, but I am in awe of how Corky was always on the ground, capturing these communities and historical moments. The man didn’t stop!! 💪🏼 He was taking photos into his 70s, arthritic knees and all 😭, until he passed.

I first heard about Corky during my Asian American awakening in my mid-20s because of his photos documenting the advocacy around Vincent Chin’s murder and his photos of the reenactment of the completion of the transcontinental railroad featuring descendants of Chinese railroad workers (which I learned is coincidentally, his favorite piece of photographic justice).

The photos in this book were partially curated by Corky himself for a book that was never released and by his friends/colleagues after he passed. Also included are reflections from an impressive range of contributors including: Hua Hsu, Ai Weiwei, Renée Tajima-Peña, Helen Zia, David Henry Hwang, and more. However, I wanted the write ups to do a bit more—some felt impersonal and like they didn’t add much, so that lowered my rating.

I highly recommend this book if you are interested in Asian American history, activism, and art. It is a privilege to be able to look back at history through Corky’s photos.

*I received a review copy from the publisher.

[AnnieM · Rating 5 out of 5]

Corky Lee's Asian America is a combination of biography, essays on his influence and impact, as well as many of his photographs. Corky Lee photographed the Asian American community (API) for over 50 years until his tragic death from Covid in January 2021. He singularly changed perceptions about Asian Americans and debunked stereotypes by showing the advocacy and activism of multi-generations. He did not shy away from showing Japanese internment camp survivors or scenes of police brutality against Asians. But he also captured the beautiful lives, culture and history of Asian communities including Devon Street in Chicago (where I live) known for its Indian and Pakistani restaurants, stores, etc. His interest in photography started when he was young. He saw a photo in a textbook commemorating the completion of the transcontinental railroad in 1869 which depicted a large crowd but no Asians - even though thousands of workers from southern China had done much of the backbreaking labor on the line. Before he died, Lee fulfilled a dream to restage the 1869 transcontinental railroad photograph by including the American-born descendants of the Chinese laborers who built the railroad. He is a great photographer and the subject of his photography is important for understanding the full history of America.

Thank you to Netgalley and Clarkson Potter/Ten Speed Press for an ARC and I voluntarily left this review.

[Alison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Corky Lee captured so many important moments for the Asian American community, and this book did an amazing job displaying his photographs and explaining the cultural significance of each one. The book and his photographs span decades, from the start of the movement in the 1970s to the covid pandemic and hate crimes against Asians in the 2020s. It includes modern well-known Asian actors, political figures, and writers, even mentioning an Asian American writerʻs workshop which included Min Jin Lee, author of Pachinko, and how the push for representation and equality helped establish a platform for these modern figures. Although it is centered around the Chinese American experience given Corkyʻs background and upbringing in Chinatown, he photographed significant movements from other cultures like the calls for reparations for the internment of Japanese Americans in the US, the effect of 9/11 on Sikh, Arab, and Muslim communities in the US, and South Asians protesting racial violence. I would recommend this book to anyone with Asian American roots, people who love photography, and anyone interested in social justice movements over the years.

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Corky Lee was a well-known photographer who captured the plight and many activities of everyday Asian Americans. With his passing in 2021, this coffee table book is a dedication to the 50 years Corky worked in bringing recognition to his fellow Asian Americans, dating all the way back to the 1970s.

More picturesque than text, all of the featured images in this book were shot by Corky Lee. In them, he captures the multiple facets of Asian Americans, many of which defy the belief of the model minority. These images showed them as resilient, empathetic, outspoken, dedicated & proud. Almost all of the shots were done in New York, with a few exceptions found Corky in another state. In between, are short essay tributes made by associates of Corky, each remembering his contributions and inspiration that influenced a new generation. In short, Corky made his own legacy in the Asian American community, humanizing and personifying their contributions to the United States. Glamorously done and filled with high quality shots, this is a wonderful coffee table book to a man who saw action and pride wherever he went.

[SQ4792 · Rating 5 out of 5]

As someone involved in photography I was aware of a decent amount of Corky Lee's work. For those who aren't he was an Asian American photographer and activist. Heavily involved in the community predominately from the 1970's to present. A lot his worked is focused on the community within New York City.

This book focuses on his start in photography and work in the community from the 1970's until his death in 2021. It is gorgeous coffee table book. It contains a large collection of his photography work, with each photo dated and a small information blurb. The book also contains several essays, expanded on what was going on at the time and Corky Lee's part in those events. This book is very much centered around Corky Lee, but it is also a good starting point for people looking to learn about Asian American activist activities in the 20th and 21st centuries. It is not going to fully informed you about what was going on but it will give you several starting points and events to further look into.

[Lisa Davidson · Rating 5 out of 5]

What if you could change the world by taking pictures? We don't have to wonder, because Corky Lee did it. In this collection of interviews and photographs, we can see the intense impact Corky Lee made on the world around him by reflecting it back at us.
I read the book for the photos but this book is also full of history and celebrity. I kept thinking "I know this person!" and "I know that guy!" There were so many areas where Corky Lee made an impact. Corky Lee cared about important social issues and historical events as they were happening. At the end, there is an essay by someone who got help from Corky with an exhibition for a store opening. She describes how he also helped put up lights to make people feel safer in the neighborhood.
We lost Corky Lee too soon to an illness he might have been able to avoid if he hadn't stayed in the thick of things continuing to help people until the end of his life. Thanks so much to NetGalley for making this available to me

[Lili Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a powerful book showcasing so many historical and ordinary moments, from capturing the descendants of the Chinese railroad workers, protest of the killing of Vincent Chin, Covid-19, the push for an ethnic studies program, and of course, so many ordinary photos of daily life in Chinatown, Manhattan. After all, “Corky Lee was the first to photograph New York’s Chinatown from within . . . it’s not a drive-by tourist destination but a living community.”

More notable lines:

“Corky Lee’s photographs . . . document the ways in which Asian Americans pushed forward their efforts for equal rights and social justice-and pushed back against those who resisted. They teach us that while demography changes the conditions of what’s possible, it is not destiny. Rather, it is a call to action.”

“By telling its own story, it reflects Corky’s conviction that ‘We do matter.’”

"Creativity is resistance."

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

A retrospective of the activist/photojournalist known as the “undisputed, unofficial Asian American photographer laureate,” this book features best-of photos from Corky Lee's 50-year career. Spanning from the 1970s to 2021, these photos represent Lee's 50-year "quest for 'photographic justice.'" The book also features tribute essays by Asian Americans who knew and/or were influenced by Lee. These essays effectively contextualize Lee's photos in terms of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) history, particularly Chinese American history in New York City.  I learned so much about the history of Asian Americans' fight for social justice from this powerful and compelling collection of photos.

[Thanks to Penguin Random House and NetGalley for an opportunity to read an advanced reader copy and share my opinion of this book.]

[Stacy Purcaro · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oftentimes, I’ll page through these types of books and peruse photographs at leisure, but this is a rare example of one that I read from cover to cover over the course of a few weeks of quiet mornings while drinking coffee. I received this book just in time for Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Corky Lee was not a familiar name to me, but after reading these stories, you realize how important he was to Asians living here in America. Obviously heavy on his photographs, mostly Chinatown in the 70s and 80s, but interspersed with tributes written by friends, this book brought to light a part of our history often overlooked.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Corky Lee’s Asian America is a collection of Corky’s photographs and essays from people who knew Corky. It is a fabulous history documented through pictures from the 1960’s through the 2010’s starting in Chinatown NYC and then expanding to other communities. Social and photographic justice are at the heart of this book.

I recommend this book to others - especially those who want to learn more about this community.

I received this book as a Goodreads giveaway. Thank you to the editors and publishers for the opportunity to read this book.

[Mary C · Rating 5 out of 5]

Photographs taken over a fifty year period, show the diverse Asian American community and how
the desire for civil rights and social justice is strong. Along with the photographs of protest demonstrations
are ones of culturral celebrations, people at work and at home. The photographs also
show that despite the progress made, racial stereotyping is still strong.
#CorkyLeesAsianAmericans #NetGalley

[Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Corky Lee was the Zelig of Asian American protests. He turned up everywhere but his home base was NYC's Manhattan Chinatown. This book is epochal and a landmark in Asian American protest documentation. Corky Lee was a photo journalist and documents community protests from the late 1960s to COVID which he unfortunately contacted and passed away. There is substantial text between the photos that is both informational and enlightening. Quite simply, a historical masterpiece!

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I learned a lot that wasn't included in my school history classed from this book. Corky Lee brings the Asian American experience to the forefront through photographs. His pictures are very powerful and show just what was happening at different times in America. I found myself being sucked into the pictures because they were so powerful.

[mk · Rating 5 out of 5]

after this election, i’ve tried to educate myself more on asian american history to both be more knowledgeable and to reconnect with an identity i’ve never explored much before. the essays here were informative and emotional, as well as the photos themselves. i learned a lot of things i had no clue about before, and was deeply saddened that corky himself was lost to covid.

[Johnnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

As someone who is into photography and history, I really loved this book. Beautiful photographs with some insight into each one. Asian American history, what people have gone thru, their successes etc really seems to be a part of history that gets skipped over in most schools.

[M Shomaker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Collection of Corky Lee's photos of Asians in America from the 1970s-2010s. Centering around the engagement of Asian-Americans within movements to promote justice and equality and fight racism, discrimination, misunderstanding, and stereotyping. Great classroom resource.

[Cliff Sowers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you so much for the Goodreads Giveaway.

The book is absolutely gorgeous. I am very appreciative.

This will be placed prominently on my art and photography bookshelf.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Remarkable photographs and stories. I learned a lot about Lee's photography and social movements that I wasn't very familiar with. Thanks to goodreads and the publisher for this giveaway copy!

[chitsung · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful book

[Yvette · Rating 5 out of 5]

纽约华裔摄影记者Corky Lee 的纪念影集。收录了他从七十年代起，五十年来对亚裔社区的平权努力和多元文化的影像记录，并穿插多篇其友人及社群领袖撰写的内容感人的怀念文章。Corky Lee 不幸于2021年初感染新冠离世。

[Aurelia Littlepage · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book taught me so much about the history of Chinatown and Asian American history/immigration. Corky Lee is a legend and you can tell through the personal accounts how much he meant to his community. Truly an important book, I highly recommend.

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent read for those interested in photography, Asian history (or history in general), and social justice topics. The emotional weight of some photos is strong but not overwhelming. The essays pair well with the photos, which provide an in-depth look at the AAPI culture that Corky was a part of.