Crowding the deck of the Komagata Maru (1914)

Crowding the deck of the Komagata Maru (1914)

Ship
Immigration
Sikh Immigration
Komagata Maru
Anti-Immigration
Continuous Passage Regulation
Vancouver

Black and White photograph depicting crowding on the deck of the Komagata Maru, the photographs shows male Sikh Immigrants waiting on-board the ship

The Komagata Maru ship carrying 376 passengers was refused entry into Canada on the grounds of violating the Continuous Passage Regulation passed in 1908. This reactionary law was passed following an influx of Indian Immigration which was negatively received in Canada and termed as an ‘Indian Invasion’. This regulation meant immigrants were required to have a single continuous passage from their country of origin, this restriction attempted to prevent undesirable immigration to Canada. This Komagata Maru remains an infamous incident symbolising and exposing the deliberate exclusionary policy of the Canadian Government based on country of origin. Furthermore, the incident is significant as it shows how Canadian’s felt about Asian immigrants in early 20th Century.

Unknown

The Canadian Museum for Human Rights, The Komagata Maru Incident

https://humanrights.ca/komagata-maru-incident

1914

Salma Latifi

Library and Archives Canada, PA-034015

N/A

Visual - photograph

20th century British Columbia