Judge — June 17, 1882 — page 8: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is a racist political cartoon depicting an anti-Chinese immigrant message. The figure shown uses exaggerated "pidgin English" speech ("Allee litee," "wantee"), a common dehumanizing stereotype of the era. The cartoon references the Chinese Exclusion movement—the signs reading "THE CHINESE MUST GO!" and "SHILLING CHINESE LAUNDRY" reflect actual xenophobic campaigns. The caption suggests American politicians want Chinese people as voters but Chinese immigrants themselves wish to leave. The caricatured facial features and clothing perpetuate harmful ethnic stereotypes typical of late 19th/early 20th-century American propaganda. The American flag visible suggests this reflects contemporary anti-immigration politics and xenophobia during a period of intense Chinese exclusion in the United States.