The Six

The Titanic sank in 1912, leaving only 705 survivors. Among them were six Chinese men whose stories were forgotten until now. Unlike other survivors, they were denied entry to America due to the Chinese Exclusion Act, Lee Bing, Fang Lang, Chang Chip, Ling Hee, Ah Lam, and Chung Foo’s stories were lost to history. Director Arthur Jones leads his crew through years of fact-checking and meticulous research to uncover the untold lives of these men. The film shifts its focal point from the fascinating facts regarding their escape from the Titanic itself (James Cameron, an executive producer, admits they inspired the iconic rescue in his 1997 blockbuster), to the generational legacy of their families and lives built in its wake. Masterfully intertwining the history of American immigration policy at the time of the Titanic to contemporary views on race and citizenship, The Six uncovers the sacrifices and discrimination these men suffered, finally granting them their rightful place in history.

Whose stories are often told in history books, and whose are overlooked? Titanic is a world-renowned tragedy, and yet few people know the stories of the 6 Chinese Third Class passengers who survived—until now. This riveting documentary invites students to question a story we think we all know well and, in doing so, learn how institutional racism and inequality in Canada and the United States in the early 20th century played a major role in shaping this history. The past shapes the present, and by learning about this history from different perspectives, students can look at the world around them, at Anti-Asian racism and Asian experiences today with fresh eyes.

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