Kala Bagai

In 1904, Indian immigration surpassed 100 immigrants for the first time, but only for Sikh men. It was only in 1915 with Kala Bagai did the first Indian, Sikh woman come to the US, particularly due to discrimination against Indians, from fear over cheap immigrant labor lowering wages to incredible racism that saw Asians as the "other", espoused by organizations such as the Asiatic Exclusion League .

However, most importantly, in the early 20th century strict immigration laws (i.e., the Chinese Exclusion Act ) restricted South Asian immigration, and even moer specifically that of women. So, before 1915, there were only a few hundred Indian - usually Sikh- men immigrating - there was no space for many others, let alone women.

Bagai was married at 11 years old to a wealthy anti-colonialist named Vaishno Das. They moved here angry at colonial rule and eager to join the (link) Gadar Movement in the USA without punishment. When Kala moved at 22 years old, she spoke no English. Her arrival, though, sparked headlines in San Fransisco. Nobody had seen an Indian woman like her before.



In 1921, Bagai's husband Vaishno became a citizen. Despite this, anti-Indian sentiments were at a high. In 1917, Ghadar party members were convicted in the "Hindu Conspiracy Trial", and even Bagai's neighbors in the Bay Area acted hostile around her.

Then came 1923, when it all changed. In the Supreme Court Case United States vs. Bhagat Singh Thind, naturalized South Asian immigrants had their citizenship revoked. Disillusioned with this "country of opportunity and freedom", Vaishno took his life in 1928. However, Bagai was undeterred by her husband's death and built a life by herself in America instead of spending time grieving. According to Stanford University Libraries, she attended night school, wore Western dresses, and even learned tennis. Despite this, only in 1946, at the passage of the Luce-Celler Act, did Bagai become a citizen. She didn't care of how late she was granted citizenship, though. She made it her mission especially in the 1950s and 60s to create a community of South Asian women. She hosted dinners, get togethers, movie screenings, anything to make an Indian community feel truly at home in the United States.

Today, Berkeley, California has named a street in her honor. It's a small step, but one towards real change.