1980s: Up from 1.5 million in the 1970s, the Asian American population starts out at nearly 3.7 million in 1980, a figure that almost doubled through the remainder of the decade.

Today: The Asian American population is over 10 million people.

1980s: Amy Tan's success with her novel The Joy Luck Club (1989) and subsequent movie of the same name popularizes literary works by Asian American authors.

Today: Many prominent Chinese Americans are leaders in the fields of politics, computer technology, medicine, and the arts. Dr. David Ho, Time magazine's Man of the Year, is honored for his research into the AIDs epidemic. While in the arts, Yo-Yo Ma enthralls audiences with his ten-time Grammy-winning performances on the cello.

1980s: Mao Zadong's Cultural Revolution is officially proclaimed a catastrophe as China undergoes substantial political reform with Hua Guofeng, a protege of Mao, being replaced as premier by reformist Sichuan...