A moving exploration of the origins and fate of the little-known Chinese passengers aboard the Titanic—and how they survived against all odds.
When Titanic sank on a cold night in 1912, barely 700 people escaped with their lives. Among them were six Chinese men. Arriving in New York, these six were met with suspicion and slander. Less than 24 hours later, they were expelled from the country, and vanished. When historian Steven Schwankert first stumbled across the fact that eight Chinese nationals were on-board, of whom all but two survived, he couldn’t believe that there could still be untold personal histories from the Titanic. This is their story, the result of meticulous research, dogged investigation, and interviews with family members. This epic journey crosses continents, revealing the full story of these six forgotten survivors. Their names were Ah Lam, Chang Chip, Cheong Foo, Fang Lang (or Fong Wing Sun), Lee Bing, and Ling Hee, and their journeys reveal a overlooked but all-too-common experience of inequality and racism.