Objects of Addiction: A Conversation about Opium and Anti-Chinese Immigration Laws in the United States

Saturday, Oct. 28, award-winning author and Harvard history professor Erika Lee will be in conversation with students Jolin Chan and Madison Stein about the role of opium in the restrictions on Chinese immigration in the United States in the 19th and 20th centuries. This lecture is offered in conjunction with the exhibition "Objects of Addiction: Opium, Empire, and the Chinese Art Trade" (on view Friday, Sept. 15–Sunday, Jan. 14), which explores the entwined histories of the opium trade and the Chinese art market between the late 18th and early 20th centuries. These two commodities—acquired through both legal and illicit means—had profound effects on the global economy, public health, immigration law, education and the arts that are reverberating still today. This talk will take place online via Zoom. The event is free and open to all, but registration is required. For general questions about online events, email am_register@harvard.edu.