The potential of the American market for Bengali Muslim lascars

[fatima_amrouni]

The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 and the Alien Contract Labor Law of 1885, were key obstacles that restricted Indian immigration.
Chinese Exclusion Act set a precedent for broader restrictions against all Asian groups, while the Alien Contract Labor Law prohibited the immigration of foreign laborers under contract, except for domestic workers and skilled professionals. This law particularly impacted Indian immigrants, like Bengali peddlers, who were often seen as laborers, even if they entered the U.S. as merchants or traders.

Despite the restrictive immigration laws in the United States, Bengali Muslim lascars persistently found ways to circumvent these barriers
and make their way to the U.S. through loopholes in maritime labor regulations.

Bengali lascars employed by the British merchant navy could travel between various ports, including those on the U.S. East Coast.
As crew members on British ships, they were not subject to the same stringent immigration controls and were not classified as immigrants upon arrival. Some lascars took advantage of the temporary docking to desert their ships and remain in the U.S.
Lascars often integrated into existing immigrant neighborhoods in cities like New York and New Orleans. These communities provided a degree of anonymity and support, allowing them to evade authorities and continue working, often as peddlers or laborers.

By the 19th century the British had a monopoly on the textile market in India. Bengali Muslims from Calcutta sought to broaden their horizons by seeking out potential customers overseas. The U.S. craze for all things "Oriental" that gripped the U.S. in the late 19th century came at the opportune time for the lascars, who could establish a network. Lascars leaned into what Americans's exoticized ideas about India and "the East" to sell them goods they perceived as exotic and luxurious.

However, their success was dependent on performing the role of the exotic "Eastern traders". This limited their ability to expand beyond certain types of goods or roles. The cultural fantasy of the "mystic" or "stoic" Oriental merchant shaped customer expectations, making it difficult for Bengali peddlers to break out of the stereotyped niche they were expected to fill.