A textbook on Asian Americans and civil rights has been published by the University of California, Los Angeles’ Asian American Studies Center Press. Untold Civil Rights Stories is aimed at high school students and college freshmen, officials say, and marks a rare work on the little-discussed topic.

The text describes the social, labor and human rights struggles of individuals who have fought discriminatory laws, helped organize farm workers along with César Chávez and have spoken out on behalf of marginalized populations. Each chapter contains a lesson plan and historical timeline.

The chapters include accounts of how actress Beulah Kwoh broke the color line in the movie industry; how journalist K.W. Lee lived and reported on poor Whites in Appalachia; and oral histories of Thai sweatshop garment workers. The book was compiled by a team of Asian American scholars, writers and activists.

More information is available online at http://www.aasc.ucla.edu/archives/untoldcivilrights.htm.

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