Tag: Berkeley
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Old James: A “mystic” Desi opium addict in 1880s Berkeley
In 1880s Berkeley, a turbaned figure known only as “Old James” wandered alone through the hills, his turban and trance-like manner catching the attention of locals. Described in a newspaper as “a sort of mystic,” the “Hindu” (South Asian) immigrant worked as a milker for Pat Curran’s dairy farm, which encompassed hundreds of acres of…
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Bagai’s India Arts and Curios, right off Kala Bagai Way
In 1916, a new establishment opened its doors at 2139 Center Street in downtown Berkeley, California. Named Bagai’s India Arts and Curios, it was founded by Vaishno Das Bagai, an early South Asian immigrant to the United States. This store stood half a block away from what is today known as Kala Bagai Way, named…
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A Rajasthani servant in 1910s Berkeley
I discovered a strange World War 1 draft card. Soon, the mystery of Natio Lee led me back to an Indian orphanage.
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Berkeley’s first Desi fortune teller was weirder than you think
Boor Singh immigrated to California in 1907, married a Black or mixed-race woman, became a fortune teller, and lived a life full of drama and tragedy. I’ve spent months trying to piece together his story, and the more I look, the stranger it gets.
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Clearing out Hindoos in 1907 Berkeley
White residents asked police to drive out South Asian neighbors South Asian workers started moving into Berkeley, California in the early 1900s. Their White neighbors immediately started trying to push them out, demanding that “coolies and Hindoos be cleared out of West Berkeley” with the help of police. When the police refused to kick them…