The Hmong are a people whose historical homeland is in Southeast Asia and southern China. Hmong people came to Washington as refugees after the Vietnam War and the Laotian Civil War. Many Hmong were recruited by the US to fight in these conflicts and were forced to flee after the North Vietnamese victory in 1975. By 1982, about 8,000 Hmong had come to Washington and mostly settled in King County.

This image shows a group of Hmong people waiting for a meeting about the end of a federal program which was to provide funding to assist refugees for three years after their arrival in the US. However, the federal government later cut the program to 18 months.

Caption information source: “Lao refugees hear bad news on jobs,” by John O’Ryan, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, March 28, 1982, page 8
Caption information source: "Refugees are dunned for their flight to freedom,” by Gaye Vandermyn, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, June 20, 1982, page 3
Caption information source: “Life isn’t easy, but the refugees celebrate,” by Gil Bailey, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, December 5, 1982, page 3.