Margaret Lee Masters

In Her Words 

Upon arriving to Angel Island, Margaret had to go through a physical examination and was detained for twenty-three days before her interview. The following remarks are from an interview she did with the Angel Island Immigration Station years later. 

“Once the boat landed in the city, she remembers that the immigration officials put her in a “paddy wagon.” This left an impression on her as she had seen movies showing criminals being put into those kinds of vehicles by police officers.  Her immigration file shows that she was asked a total of seventy-four questions about her family background and village life, including all past residences and schools attended by her siblings.”

“During Margaret’s interrogation she said that the immigration officials tried to trick her by asking confusing questions about her life in China. She remembers being asked, “Where is the piano in your house?” to which she replied, “The dining room.” The officials then informed her that her brother had told them the piano was kept in the living room, to which she replied, “Well, when we eat it’s the dining room, when we don’t eat, it’s the living room.”

Not Just an Immigrant: A Cherished Mother & Wife

The APM Research Project had the opportunity to conduct an oral history with Katherine Masters, Margaret’s daughter. These are her stories. 

“I’ve heard the story that he was in the military, and he was in uniform. They were very young. It was just perhaps after World War 2. They were out and about, and somebody assumed she was Japanese just because she was Asian. And, they were making [racial] remarks... He basically just stood up and stood behind her, and gave them the stink-eye. Basically said, “I’m supporting her despite better and worse.” And that was it. That’s all he had to do to shut them up; that was how he handled stuff like that.”