Documentary | English | DVD
Director, Producer, Writer: Loni Ding
Subjects: Education, History, Human/Civil Rights, Racism
Grade Levels: High school & up
This documentary profiles the little-known story of Chinese immigrants Joseph and Mary Tape, who tried to enroll their 8-year-old U.S.-born daughter in San Francisco’s all-white Spring Valley School in September 1884. The Spring Valley school principal refused to admit Mamie Tape, citing school board policy barring Chinese children from attending the city’s public schools. Consequently, the Tape family sued the principal, taking the case to the California Supreme Court in 1885.