About

Thomas Balch Library will host Daniel J. Sieh presenting "Asia and Asians in the 18th Century Mid-Atlantic."

Asia was known for centuries in Europe, and the British were keen to profit off the exotic goods through commerce. This trade was far from a one-sided exchange; it was a dialogue between two very distinct cultures. Goods, ideas and people flowed through trade routes established by the British East India Company and reached as far as the 13 colonies (soon, the nascent United States). Asians arrived as distant foreigners in a strange land but left an indelible mark that has only recently been uncovered through careful research and revisiting overlooked documents.

Daniel J. Sieh is a Living Historian with over 12 years of experience working with historical museums throughout the East Coast. Previously, Daniel has worked at Colonial Williamsburg and later at Claude Moore Colonial Farm as one of their historical interpreters. He graduated with a history degree from the College of William and Mary in 2016 and has a Master's degree from American University.