The Social Perception Of Asian Americans Has Moved Through Many Phases Over More Than Two Centuries Of US History. Early Migrant Workers Commanded Almost No Social Status As They Toiled To Create Much Of The Country's Early Infrastructure, Including The Transcontinental Railroad. From Being Viewed As A "Yellow Peril," Asian Americans Endured Internment Camps During World War II And Emerged As A "Model Minority." Ellen Wu, Assistant Professor Of History At Indiana University, Bloomington, Tells About This Evolution In Her New Book, The Color Of Success.