The Filipino Americans Filipinos first came to the United States in significant numbers in the early decades of the 20th century. Most of these early immigrants were young and single males who found work as field hands on the pineapple and sugar plantations of Hawaii or as migrant laborers in California's fruit and vegetable fields. Hard work and little pay was the common denominator of their American experience; many were the subjects of racial prejudice and even mob violence. Despite discriminatory legislation aimed at them, by joining together in labour unions and other cooperative ventures