The cultural landscape on the plains of Southwest Kansas was changing and in flux. The fall of Saigon in April of 1975 sparked and ushered-in the migration of thousands of Asians. The boat people, as they were called, arrived in the United States and Canada from the war torn country of South Vietnam.
There were Vietnamese, Cambodians, Laotians, and Thai. Many of the refugees were Catholic and Buddhist, some were well educated professionals, others were farmers. By the mid 1980s many had found jobs working in the meat packing industry in both Garden City and Dodge City. It is estimated today that there are more an 60,000 Asians living in Kansas.
I grew up on the plains of Western Kansas and the arrival of Asians here was met with a certain skeptical disquiet. The Kansas that generations had known was changing...some found that hard to accept.
Out of all the images I captured for this story one in particular stuck in my mind. It was from an old house on Garden City's south side that had become a Buddhist Temple. The monk was welcoming as I made pictures of him that day. The times were indeed changing.
-30-
Editor's Note: With the death of Muhammad Ali earlier this year (June 3, 2016) it seemes only fitting to start off the Moments In Time series with a look back at the former champion.
May 2, 1985
By the time Muhammad Ali arrived in Hutchinson Kansas in 1985 he had retired from the boxing ring...but you wouldn't know it to look at him. The three time World Heavyweight Champion, aways the showman, played to fans while graciously posing for pictures and signing autographs. He was in Hutchinson on business.
I was a photographer for The Hutchinson News and assigned to make pictures of his visit that evening. Reporters were lining up and asking for the chance to cover the boxing legend's appearance in town. The story and photos would appear in the morning editions.
Here are a few photographs from Muhammad Ali's 1985 visit to Hutchinson Kansas.
-30-
No comments:
Post a Comment