| BACGG invites you to join us on Tuesday, October 11 at 6:30 p.m. for a Zoom Meeting featuring author and historian Dr. Russell N. Low. Part II – – (THIS PRESENTATION WILL NOT BE RECORDED) Register in advance for this meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcocuGoqD4tHdHRGjfD228gWIAUHrjEMxt- After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. Here is Russell’s description of what he will share with us: I believe that your family’s stories are much more important and interesting than a laundry list of names and dates. Discovering and recording those stories and making them inspiring to a broad audience is our challenge for those who chronicle the human experience. We will explore the decades-long research process that led to my uncovering the previously unknown family stories that became the books “Three Coins” and “The All-American Crew.” Memorializing your family story is essential to preserve what you have spent years uncovering. You can create a book, photo book, documentary, or video. Choosing the right format depends upon your interests and skills. I will discuss how I wrote “Three Coins” and “The All-American Crew.” Finally, I will discuss the pros and cons of publishing your work by using traditional publishers vs. self-publishing. In my case, this journey I described in these words took decades to complete. There is no time like the present to begin. |
10/27/2022 Film Screening: Our Story of War & Remembrance
Free Admission 10/27, 4 – 7 PM
Koret Auditorium, San Francisco Public Library, 100 Larkin Street, San Francisco, CA
The Opening Ceremony of the 9th SF New Concept Film Festival will be holding a Film Screening and Panel Discussion. There will be five panelists speaking on all facets of Chinese American military service. Panelists include the film producers Brenda Wong and Teddy Sue; Julie Tang, retired judge; Herbert Chan, Volunteer Coordinator for the 14th Air Force; and Ron Chan, of the Chinese American GI Project. There will also be the screening of several short films. Light refreshments served. See you there!
Chinese Genealogy Workshop 1/23-25, 2023
Gold Coast Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada
4000 W Flamingo Road, Las Vegas, NV 89103
Hotel Package is for January 22 – 26, 2023 ( Includes arrival & departure dates )
To Register: Email Henry.Tom@Cox.net or call 480 980 8715
This workshop provides insightful presentations on Chinese genealogy research. It instructs attendees on how to use various techniques to advance their own research and discover the interesting information pertaining to their family / clan history and to identify those resources that can best serve them. There will also be exposure to the various information, material, and tools available on the Internet and in books and other sources to assist in compiling and documenting Chinese lineages. The ancestral villages of attendees will be identified and located – the primary source for family genealogy books.
This is a “how to” workshop that educates you on what you need to know in order to start performing Chinese genealogical research and/or visiting your ancestral village in China. The intent of the workshop is to educate people about Chinese genealogy research – so they can start researching and compiling their Chinese genealogy lineage – without having to be Chinese literate. Some of the Chinese narratives, lineage annotations, and histories do require translation. There will be translators at the workshop to help with limited translations. Please bring your family genealogy information and lineages and let experienced researchers assist you during the Round-Table sessions.
This is a 3-day workshop – includes: Morning Presentations – Afternoon Round Tables – Afternoon Tutorial
Registration: Please contact Henry Tom [ Henry.Tom@Cox.net] 480 980 8715 to register – there is a $350 registration fee to defray the cost for the workshop and associated fees. After December 23, 2022, there are no refunds and the registration fee: $400 per person for mail in or on-site registrations.
The workshop registration fee is separate from the Gold Coast Hotel & Casino Hotel Package of $312 – covers 4 nights hotel room, free in room WiFi, free parking ( surface & garage), includes the 14% tax, and the daily $31 resort fee. The hotel room rate ( for a single or double occupancy). The hotel package does not cover meals.
Once your registration form & check is received, a Group Code will be emailed to you to book your room. Deadline for booking hotel reservations: December 23, 2022. Reserve early – block of rooms is limited. You can also book additional nights before & after the 4 nights workshop hotel package. This is a wonderful enlightening experience & a very nice vacation after the pandemic. You can Uber or Lyft to the hotel from the airport which is only about 4 miles away.
Face masks are required The Gold Coast Hotel & Casino requires that face masks be worn by workshop attendees. Workshop attendees should follow the hotel, city & state rules & requirements in terms of face masks, maintaining social distancing and washing hands frequently. DropBox link for documents:
[https://www.dropbox.com/home/January%202023%20Chinese%20Genealogy%20Workshop%20-%20Las%20Vegas]
THROUGH THE AGES HISTORIC HONOLULU CHINATOWN – Zoom Presentation
Sponsored by the Tsung Tsin Association of Hawaii
Saturday, November 19, 2022, 12noon Hawaiian Standard Time
2 P.M. Pacific (California) Standard Time/5 P.M. Eastern Standard Time
Sunday, Nov 20, 6 A.M. Guangzhou & Singapore
Honolulu’s Chinatown as been the major focal point of commerce from the early days of Honolulu
and has been in a constant state of change and metamorphosis, sometimes gradual, sometimes
drastic. It represents a mixed plate of cultures, and closely reflects the many waves of human
immigration to Hawaii. In what is expected to be an extremely compelling and fascinating
webinar, it will take a look at the past, present and future of Honolulu’s Chinatown, all through the
lens of the Tsung Tsin Association clubhouse building, which celebrates it’s 107-year birthday in 2023
A Question & Answer period will follow the presentation.
Gary R. Coover was previously trained as a licensed civil engineer and has always had an interest
in building design and the people that had a hand in creating it. In his recently published book,
Honolulu Chinatown: 200 Years of Red Lanterns & Red Lights, he has done some extensive
historical research into hundreds of historical buildings in Honolulu’s Chinatown from the turn of
the 19th Century to the present day.
To register, go to http://www.ttahawaii.com
Please enroll early. Limited to the first 1,000 participants, however a live stream to YouTube
will be available if exceeds capacity. No live Q&A available via YouTube
“Zoom Presentation: From Mui Tsai to World War II Heroes – A Multigenerational Tale of Courage, Resilience, & Diversity”, presented by Russell Low
Saturday, July 16, 2022 10:00 a.m. PDT and 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time – on Zoom.
Zoom Presentation:
Join author and historian Russell N. Low in an exploration of the early Chinese American Experience and its effects on Chinese Americans of the Greatest Generation in WWII with ripples that continue to shape our experience today.
Click Ripples here to register
Date/time – Saturday, July 16, 2022 at 10:00 AM PST
This presentation will NOT be recorded.
In a multimedia presentation, Russ Low will share a story that took decades to uncover using long-forgotten letters, old photos, interviews, and historical archives.
Russell Low is a California-born 4th generation Chinese American physician who is a great-grandson of Hung Lai Wah, a Transcontinental Railroad worker, and Tom Ying, a rescued child slave. Russell’s passion for research, family history, and storytelling come together in recently published novels entitled “Three Coins” and “The All-American Crew.”
In exploring the Ripples of Three Coins, Russell celebrates the heroism of the Chinese Americans in WWII from a very personal perspective. In 1941, two Chinese American brothers left the Oregon hop fields for the battlefields of the Pacific. One returns home with a Silver Star and the other is missing. Now, 80 years later, their long-forgotten letters and dusty photographs finally tell their story in the new narrative nonfiction work The All-American Crew: A True Story of a World War II Bomber and the Men Who Flew It.
“Three Coins” immerses us in San Francisco’s Chinatown in the 1800s. The day-to-day life is set against human trafficking, racial discrimination, Tong warfare, and insidious anti-Chinese laws that threaten their existence in America.
The unlikely strong protagonist in “Three Coins” is Ah Ying, a nine-year-old girl who comes to Gum San as a mui tsai or child slave in 1880. Ah Ying is horribly abused by her owners but defiantly holds out hope for freedom and love. Life at the Mission Home is good until her rescuers become her captors, and she must flee to be with her Gee Sung.
The estimated 20,000 Chinese Americans who fought for the United States in World War II did not simply appear at the recruiters’ offices. Instead, they were the products of their parents’ and grandparents’ struggles to be American in a country that did not want them and actively excluded them. “The All-American Crew” presents Ah Ying’s grandsons, Loren and Stan, who enlist in the Army Air Force and go off to the Pacific to fight for their country’s freedom.
Ripples of Ah Ying’s three Chinese coins helped to define the Greatest Generation for our Chinese American family. Yet, all of the Chinese who fought in WWII are connected to that same past. These men served their country, and some died before the Chinese Exclusion Act was repealed in December 1943.
Order Books: Russell Low is offering signed copies of “Three Coins” and “The All-American Crew” for a tax-deductible donation to the
(Click Dr. Russell Low and Carolyn Hesse-Low Nursing Scholarship to donate.
Select “Other” and enter $ for your donation. Fill in the other information and email Russ Low of the donation at threecoins1@yahoo.com and indicate your choice of book(s).) Suggested donation of $20 per book (includes shipping) and credit cards or PayPal are accepted.
Donations are for students at California State University San Marcos School of Nursing (CSUSM).
Books ordered from Amazon do not include the donation to CSUSM.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Watch for Part 2 BACGG event, to be announced soon ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The Bay Area Chinese Genealogy Group will host a presentation by Russell N. Low, where he will share his research experience. Researching the immigration of Chinese to America in the 1800s requires painstaking patience, diligence, and a healthy dose of good luck. “Three Coins” is the result of 30 years of turning over stones to uncover the unexpected truth about how one Chinese family came to be American.
White Sky, Falling Dragon ~ 白天落龍
tickets: https://tickets.mvcpa.com/eventperformances.asp?evt=459
A New Play By Steve “Spike” Wong
Premieres August 2022
at Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts – SecondStage
After his WWII service as a bombardier, a young Chinese American man must come to terms with tragedy on his last mission before he can fully return home. His Chinese family obligations clash with his search for a path to his future, but the way forward depends on a secret.
Inspired by the playwright’s father, Captain Ernest Wong of the US Army Air Force in World War II, this is the story of his return home to a small town in California in 1944. With its focus on Chinese American culture, immigration, and military service during wartime, the play is a unique blend of drama and comedy.
This performance is 2 hours and 15 minutes long with one 15 minute intermission.
Friday, August 26 at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, August 27 at 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, August 28 at 3 p.m.
Thursday, September 1 at 7:30 p.m.
Friday, September 2 at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, September 3 at 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, September 4 at 3 p.m.
SecondStage | General Admission | $30 Adults
$26 Seniors (62 & Above), Students (21 & Under)
Ticket price includes $2 Facility Use Fee
Other fees, depending on method of purchase, may apply
Everyone regardless of age must have a ticket, no lap passes are available for this performance
tickets: https://tickets.mvcpa.com/
Please visit our website if you’d like further information on the play! We are at www.soaringdragon.net.
Written and Directed by Steve “Spike” Wong
Produced by Joan Van Antwerp
Original music by James Francisco, Ph.D
Chinese American Genealogy Workshop 6/27–29, 2022
Workshop dates: Monday thru Wednesday – June 27 – 29, 2022 8:30AM – 5 PM
Location: California Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas Registration Fee: $325 per person PLUS Hotel & Meal Package: $180 for four nights and 12 meals per person
Contact Henry Tom [ Henry.Tom@Cox.net] 480 980 8715 to register
This workshop provides insightful presentations on Chinese genealogy research. It instructs attendees on how to use various techniques to advance their own research and discover the interesting information pertaining to their family / clan history and to identify those resources that can best serve them. There will also be exposure to the various information, material, and tools available on the Internet and in books and other sources to assist in compiling and documenting Chinese lineages.The ancestral villages of attendees will be identified and located – the primary source for family genealogy books.
This is a “how to” workshop that educates you on what you need to know in order to start performing Chinese genealogical research and/or visiting your ancestral village in China. The intent of the workshop is to educate people about Chinese genealogy research – so they can start researching and compiling their Chinese genealogy lineage – without having to be Chinese literate. Some of the Chinese narratives, lineage annotations, and histories do require translation. There will be translators at the workshop to help with limited translations. Please bring your family genealogy information and lineages and let experienced researchers assist you during the Round-Table sessions in the afternoons.
This is a 3-day workshop – includes: Morning Presentations – Afternoon Round Tables – Afternoon Tutorial
Draft agenda topics
Chinese Diaspora in Mexico, Introduction to Chinese American Genealogy Research, Chinese Gravestone Photos Project, Chinese to English Machine Translation, Taming the Wild West of DNA, Understanding Chinese Zupu’s, Principals of Naming Conventions, Chinese Coming to Utah, Pioneer Chinese American Piolet’s Story: China’s WWII unsung hero, How to Digitize and Share Family History in a Digital Age.
Face masks are required The California Hotel & Casino requires that face masks be worn by workshop attendees. Workshop attendees should follow the hotel, city & state rules & requirements in terms of face masks, maintaining social distancing and washing hands frequently.
Additional Information Regarding Pricing
Registration: Please contact Henry Tom [ Henry.Tom@Cox.net] 480 980 8715 to register – there is a $325 registration fee to defray the cost for the workshop and associated fees. After June 1, 2022, there are no refunds and the registration fee: $375 per person for mail in or on-site registrations.
The workshop registration fee is separate from the Hawaiian Package of $180 per person for the entire 4-nights hotel (requires double occupancy $360 ) which also includes 3 meal coupons per day per person (4 days – so you can arrive the night before the 3 day Conference) – you can also use the meal coupons for restaurants in the California Hotel and in the adjoining Main Street Hotel & Casino. Single person room is $263. Additional nights to the four-night package based on availability is $80 plus 13% room tax – no meal coupons. Daily resort fee of $21.46 will be charged daily on any additional nights. Once your registration form & check is received, a Group Name & Group Code will be emailed to you to book your room under the Hawaiian Package. Deadline for booking hotel reservations: May 27, 2022. Reserve early – block of rooms is limited. This is a wonderful enlightening experience & a very nice vacation after the pandemic. Uber or Lyft costs about the same & not have to share the shuttle bus to other hotels.
Unveiling Ceremony
Golden Spike National Historical Park
Saturday, June 25, 2022
10:00 am – 1:30 pm
For more information https://spike150.org/legacy/
Standing Strong for Inclusion: Commemorate the 140th Anniversary of the Chinese Exclusion Act
Dear Friends,
On behalf of the Commemoration Committee, we invite you to join us as a community partner for a series of commemorative events to highlight the resilience of our communities and affirm our solidarity with all people who are fighting for inclusion, not exclusion. You may help us by signing on as a community partner, sharing, and encouraging your members to attend our events. If you would like to be a community partner, please send your logo to Eddie Wong eddieoak@att.net. To be included in the print poster, please send in logos by 4/23. May 6, 2022 marks the 140th anniversary of the passage of the Chinese Exclusion Act, the nation’s first law to single out an ethnic group as undesirable and ineligible for U.S. citizenship. In the decades that followed, this exclusion was expanded to cover most countries across Asia and the Pacific. The Act was repealed only in 1943, finally ending 61 years of official discrimination. But did its effects ever truly leave us? Today, we are experiencing a dismaying rise in violent attacks on Asian Americans. We cannot afford to stay silent; we must instead stand together to stop the hateful legacy of this Act that our community continues to face.
We have planned the following events:
Friday, May 6 at 10:30 a.m. on Angel Island – SF Bay Area community leaders will lay a memorial wreath at the Chinese Immigrant Monument at the Angel Island Immigration Station. Participants will also place the remaining pieces of a 140-candle display for the “Lighting the Darkness” exhibit in the Detention Barracks.
Friday, May 6 from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Fort Mason Center for Arts & Culture – “Off the Grid” opens at 5pm, at 8pm filmmaker Felicia Lowe and visual installation artist Ben Wood will present “Exclusion/Inclusion,” a site based video projection on the walls of Fort Mason’s building B, and onto the windows of the Guard House showing a series of videos about Angel Island Immigration Station.
Saturday, May 7 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. – San Francisco Chinatown. “Standing Strong: 140 Years After the Chinese Exclusion Act,” a program at the Chinese Culture Center. Two short films by Felicia Lowe: What’s Your Real Name? and Carved in Silence, will be followed by remarks on current immigration issues by USF law professor Bill Hing, and reflections by community and youth leaders addressing the need for solidarity amid the continued rise of anti-Asian hate.
The program concludes with artists Summer Mei Ling Lee’s and Stephan Xie’s “In Honor of Our Belonging,” a procession and remembrance of survivors of anti-Asian hate. Priests from the Taoist Lotus Institute will perform a blessing ritual while the names of 140 people whose lives were impacted by the Chinese Exclusion Act are read by members of our community and those standing in solidarity with us. Participants will then walk on the pedestrian bridge into Portsmouth Square where incense and photos will be placed at a community altar. For those interested in signing up for the procession, or bringing photo for the altar, please contact jenny@cccsf.us
June and July 2022. Dates and location TBD. As part of the community program “The Conversation from Vincent Chin to George Floyd” in June, a 90-minute youth-centered workshop entitled “A River’s Journey: Diaspora, Othering and Statehood” will be offered. The workshop contextualizes U.S. immigration policy as it pertains to our own immigration histories. The emergent wave of anti-API hatred has historical and material roots, and the practical and political need for community solidarity across ethnic and racial lines will be highlighted.
Additionally, in July an event focused on creative expression will take place, offering youth the opportunity to create artwork, murals, and skits in celebration of multicultural solidarity.
Supporters/Partners can also make a donation to underwrite activities with a tax-deductible gift. All tax-deductible contributions may be made out to Chinese for Affirmative Action, 17 Walter U Lum Place, San Francisco, CA 94108. Please indicate that the donation is for the Commemoration Committee.
Sincerely,
The Commemoration Committee
eddieoak@att.net/jenny@cccsf.us
Chinese American Military Exhibition Debuts
Video Tour (1min 32 sec)
Exhibition Open Hours
Veterans Building
401 Van Ness Avenue, Ste 102
San Francisco, CA
May 4 – June 12, 2022
Galley is open Wednesdays through Sunday, 1PM – 6PM
(Monday and Tue Closed)
For Latest Event Information: facebook.com/groups/chineseamericangiproject
USS Hornet, Sea and Space Museum
707 West Hornet Ave
Alameda, CA
May 1, 2, 6, 7, 8, 9
(Tue, Wed, Thursday Closed)
Monday 10AM – 5PM
For Additional Information: uss-hornet.org/
To celebrate Chinese American military service from the Civil War to Afghanistan, the American Legion Cathay Post 384 and the Chinese Historical Society of America (CHSA), are sponsoring the national debut of the exhibition “Chinatown To Battleground”. The exhibition is designed and deployed by Montgomery Hom and Ron Chan, Co-Founders of the “Chinese American GI Project”. There will be over 200 personal military artifacts from Hom’s collection. Custom designed banners and multimedia elements will showcase how Chinese Americans fought in every theatre of war and proudly served in every branch of the armed forces.
The exhibition will debut in San Francisco at the Veterans Building, Veterans Gallery Room 102, at 401 Van Ness Avenue from May 4 – June 12, 2022.
Concurrently, the USS Hornet, Sea and Space Museum in Alameda, CA, features elements of the exhibition for AAPI month. This Chinese American Veterans exhibit joins programs from the Japanese and Filipino American Veterans community from May 1 – May 9, 2022.
This unique exhibition, will be deployed later in a nationwide roadshow as a source of pride for the Chinese American community and its veterans
Commander Helen Wong, (LTC, USAR, Ret.) said, “the American Legion Cathay Post 384 is proud to be the first sponsor to initiate, fund and support this recognition for our Veterans. Our post has served Chinese American Veterans for over a century. This comprehensive exhibition is a long time coming to recognize that Chinese American history is American history!
Melanie Chan, President of Chinese American Citizens Alliance said, “As the organization who successfully advocated for the Congressional Gold Medal for the Chinese American veterans of WWII, we are proud to support this exhibition which highlights the accomplishments and contributions of the Chinese Americans who proudly answer the call to duty and served with distinction and honor in the U.S. Armed Services from the Civil War to Afghanistan.
Justin Hoover, CHSA’s Executive Director, notes, “The Chinese American GI Project since its inception has been affiliated with CHSA, representing our acknowledgement and support of Chinese American men and women who served bravely, often in the face of discrimination.”
The “Chinatown to Battleground” exhibition will then make its Silicon Valley/ South Bay debut during summer 2022. The exhibit is sponsored by the Chinese Historical Cultural Project (CHCP) / Chinese American Historical Museum (CAHM). CHCP’s film and oral history project, “War and Remembrance” will also be a part of the exhibition. David Yick, board president says “We want to recognize Chinese Americans as part of the fabric of America and highlight our military service accomplishments and patriotism. This exhibition integrates well with our film project and provides great synergies in building a better museum experience for our members and visitors. It is a great addition to CHCP’s recognition of Chinese American contributions to medicine, science, engineering and business.”
San Diego Chinese Historical Museum Updates
| On Saturday, April 23@10:00 a.m. PDT, we are honored to host Ambassador Elena Wachong (Costa Rica), who will provide a talk focused on the global barriers to finding Chinese diaspora family roots for non-Chinese speakers. Ambassador Wachong will be joined by discussant, Dr. Lai Sai Acon (University of Costa Rica). Dr. Judith Rubenstein (Granite Hills Press) will offer a special introduction, and Dr. Bob Stein will moderate. Please register to attend@https://SDSU.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwoce2upj8oEtMQaSjpbygDJYMXPvpaJP9U On Saturday, May 7@10 a.m. PDT, we are excited to welcome Tiffany Chin, two-time bronze medalist at the World Figure Skating Championship. Tiffany will be accompanied by San Diego City Council Director of Communications, Chris Chan, who will moderate the conversation. Please register to attend@https://sdsu.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUsfu6ppzgrEtMWAXr_E0IK82eFiwg5LoI0 On Saturday, May 21@10:00 a.m. PDT, we will be pleased to welcome Dr. Yong Ming Li, a Licensed Physician and Acupuncturist, Herbalist, board-certified Pathologist and Dermatopathologist, who has been practicing, teaching and doing research on traditional Chinese medicine for more than 25 years. In anticipation of the May 27th opening of our exhibition, ACUPUNCTURE – 50 YEARS IN THE UNITED STATES, Dr. Li will speak on the domestic history of the practice, recalling stories in relation to the effort to make this healing art legally supported in different states. You may register to attend @https://SDSU.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYvduioqTstHNQagILMiTsp5EAbvZTMRitF. The San Diego Chinese Historical Museum is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organizationTax ID # 33-0179740 |
Researching Your China Lineage – Chan/Chin Surname Case Study
Saturday, June 4, 2022, 11AM start.
Location: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 4770 Lincoln Ave, Oakland, CA. Library Meeting Room
To register for this workshop, fill out the following survey: https://forms.gle/2A8JFDPLNRkxdYBE6
This is a special, limited seating, 2022 BACGG Member Only Workshop Event. Workshops are not regular BACGG meetings. They are Special Interest Groups (SIG), held from time to time, doing a deep dive on a very specific subject … in this case, the Chan surname. If your family has Chen, Chan, Chun, Chin, or Tan linage, this workshop is for you.
Moderators. Ron Chan, Executive Director BACGG. John Jue and George Chin, Chan Subject Matter Experts
Although the Chan/Chin Special Interest Group focuses on the Chan/Chin surname, this session will benefit all surnames. Chan/Chin will be used as a case study to gain an understanding of the methodology to secure, interpret and discover your Chinese ancestral lineage. We will go beyond the simple lines and boxes of a family tree, and discuss, appreciate and apply rich Chinese historical context to our lineage. Guest Moderators are John Jue and George Chin, Chan/Chin genealogical subject matter experts. Ron Chan and Joe Chan will share their genealogical journey tracing their heritage to 2697 BC, and how they created family legacy documents (handout prior to the meeting). This session will be a roundtable format of open Q&A with “mini” presentations from participants. Because of the intimate interactive nature of this meeting, there will be limited seating.
Bring a brown bag lunch.
If you wish to become a BACGG member, go here https://bacgg.org/index.php/due/
CHCP VISIT TO IRIS CHANG PARK
Iris Chang Park, 688-694 Epic Way, San Jose, CA
April 23, 20221:00 PM – 3:30 PM
CHCP invites you to visit Iris Chang Park to celebrate Earth Day and to honor Iris Chang. Iris Chang was a Chinese American journalist, author of historical books, and political activist. She is best known for her best-selling 1997 account of the Nanking Massacre, The Rape of Nanking, and in 2003, The Chinese in America: A Narrative History. The 2.6-acre park near Montague Expressway and Seely Avenue was inaugurated in 2019 to honor Iris. The park’s six installations were very thoughtfully researched and beautifully created to carry on Iris’ messages.
Special guests at the event will be Iris’ parents. Ying Ying Chang, Iris’ mom, will speak briefly about Iris and give us a tour of the park. Then we will clean and beautify the park to honor Iris, while also celebrating Earth Day, Women’s History Month, and AAPI month. Some yard/landscape maintenance tools will be available, but best if you could bring your own broom, greenery disposal bag, small clippers, sunhat, kneeling pads, gardening gloves, etc.
This is a free event with refreshments served after the clean-up session.
Please RSVP to CHCP Director Brenda Hee Wong at brenda.wong@chcp.org or 408-946-4015.
To learn more about Iris Chang: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iris_Chang
Searching For: 1906 SF Chinatown Family Stories
Contact: sarah@walkingcinema.org
The California Migration Museum is a new initiative that plans to build an immersive experience bringing together stories across California’s migration history. We are currently working on a virtual, augmented reality-enhanced historical walking tour of SF Chinatown that will pivot around the story of the 1906 earthquake and its aftermath. We’re looking for:
- Descendants who can trace their ancestors back to those days, especially if their ancestors were involved with the reconstruction of Chinatown.
- We’re also looking for descendants who grew up with a mother or grandmother who lived through the earthquake.
Silent Spikes Exhibition SF Main Library through May 22
Skylight Gallery Exhibit Area – 6th Fl
100 Larkin Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
415-557-4400
Photographer Li Ju travelled the entire route of the Transcontinental Railroad seven times to chronicle the historic achievement of uniting the United States from East to West with the construction of the railroad.
In this 30-panel exhibition, Li Ju places his contemporary photos next to the historic photos to show the tremendous accomplishments of the largely anonymous 12,000–20,000 Chinese workers who built the railroad.
Special event: Film and panel discussion on the Chinese and the Transcontinental Railroad. March 12, 11:00 a.m., Main Library, Koret Auditorium.
San Francisco Offers Formal Apology to Chinese Immigrants for Past Wrongs, Racism
San Francisco Offers Formal Apology to Chinese Immigrants for Past Wrongs, Racism
On Wednesday, February 2, 2022, the City of San Francisco Board of Supervisors announced a resolution offering a formal apology to Chinese immigrants and their descendants over past atrocities. In a landmark unanimous vote, the resolution introduced by Supervisor Matt Haney in part-nership with former SFUD students was approved by the board’s Budget and Finance Committee. San Francisco became the fourth city in the state of California to offer a formal apology, following the cities of Antioch, Los Angeles, and San Jose.
The resolution cited numerous instances of racism against the Chinese community dating back to the 19th century, including SFUSD’s closure of Chinese schools between 1870-1885. It also apologizes for the three-day riot in 1877 that targeted the Chinese community: four people died and dozens of Chinese-owned laundries were destroyed or looted.
In addition, the resolution’s chief sponsor, Supervisor Haney, acknow-ledged current ongoing racism and violence against the Chinese and AAPI communities amid the COVID-19 pandemic and pledges budget investments in support of the greater Bay Area AAPI community. The resolution apologizes on behalf of the board and the city for “systemic and structural discrimination” and targeted acts of violence.
San Francisco Supervisor Gordon Mar, who is of Chinese descent stated, “As a city that values inclusion and equity, facing our past mistakes head on is an important step towards healing, safety, and justice.”
In support and partnership of this resolution, CHSA held press conference along with Supervisor Haney, members of the API Council, and former students Wednesday morning outside the CHSA museum on Joice Street. The an-nouncement and ceremony took place with members of the community on hand.
“You’ll find in the resolution that there are many different atrocities that we thought would never happen in this city,” said Drew Min, student at the University of California, Berkeley, and one of the Chinese American youth who co-wrote the bill. “We have to never forget, so we can continue to correct mistakes to make sure the same is not committed.”
“An apology is not enough unless it’s met with real action and budget solutions that will truly benefit the community,” Justin Hoover, executive director of CHSA, said in a statement.
The Budget and Appropriations Committee will hold budget hearings in the coming months to determine investments into the AAPI community.
[chineseamericanfamilyhistory] CEA in CA – New Yorker article
Another cross post from Trish Hackett Nicola, who wrote:
There is an article from the New Yorker online. 28 Jan 2022 on legers with photos and biographical information of Chinese living in Downieville, CA about 1890-1930.
“The Dark Purpose Behind a Town Constable’s Journal” by Michael Luo The Article link
Chinese Pioneers: Power and Politics in Exclusion Era Photographs
Presented by the California Historical Society: January 28, 2022 to June 25, 2022
THE CALIFORNIA HISTORICAL SOCIETY, 678 MISSION STREET, SAN FRANCISCO CA, 94105 Open Thursday – Saturday, 12:00pm – 5:30pm
In its new exhibition Chinese Pioneers: Power and Politics in Exclusion Era Photographs, the California Historical Society explores the Chinese immigrant experience during the years of the Chinese Exclusion Act. The exhibition sheds light on the history of Sinophobia and resonates with broader questions about immigration, citizenship, and border control currently being debated.
In the United States during the Exclusion Era years, depictions of Chinese people ranged from deeply derogatory to highly exoticized. The Chinese Pioneers exhibition examines the visual record of how mainstream culture influenced, aligned with, and/or diverged from politics and state actions.
Photography played a potent role in Chinese people’s interactions with the dominant culture and in the government’s fledgling systems of registration, identification, and surveillance. Chinese Pioneers presents photographs—both studio photography and fine-art photos—alongside illustrated newspapers, paintings, and ephemera from the California Historical Society’s collections.
The exhibition is drawn exclusively from the California Historical Society’s deep collections of topical material. On view are rare items, such as one of the earliest known records of Chinese immigration to California, certificates of residence for Chinese laborers (1894–1897), and a one-of-a-kind photo album compiled by a Sierra County justice of the peace who was tracking Chinese residents. Less rare but equally powerful items in the collection include formal portraits of Chinese men and women taken in photographic studios, some operated by Chinese photographers; illustrated newspapers; a painting of a Chinese woman; photographs of Chinese workers; and works by art photographers Arnold Genthe and Laura Adams Armer.
The richness of these collections presents a compelling visual history that dovetails with the social, political, and judicial disenfranchisement of Chinese Californians, as well as moments of Chinese agency and resilience.
Chinese immigrants to Canada – Registers of Chinese Immigration to Canada, 1885–1949
Marisa Louie Lee shared this post on Grant Din’s forum chineseamericanfamilyhistory link that might be useful to members of BACGG. Here is her repost:
Hi all,
For those of you interested in Chinese Canadian immigration, Grant asked me to share about the Registers of Chinese Immigration to Canada, 1885–1949. These are held by Library Archives Canada and document “all immigrants of Chinese origin arriving in Canada between 1885 and 1949.”
You may have heard that these are being newly indexed on FamilySearch, but they were previously indexed as part of a project from the University of British Columbia, and the index is hosted at Library Archives Canada.
The index data is also available as a spreadsheet, which has the amazing addition of analysis and “mapping” of the place of birth fields in the register. What resulted is being able to search the spreadsheet by a village name in Chinese characters for two of the counties in Guangdong Province, the place of origin for many pre-WWII Chinese immigrants.
As an example, I searched my great-grandfather’s village and found a handful of immigrants to Canada who also came from his village. Interestingly, their 雷 surname was primarily Romanized as LOY rather than my LOUIE.
Have you found any of your Chinese Canadian relatives or ancestors in the registers? Feel free to share!
Marisa
We Are Bruce Lee: Under The Sky, One Family Exhibition
Below provided by: Chinese Historical Society of America
As we all continue to navigate the challenges surrounding the health and safety circumstances currently affecting our community, the nation, and the world at large, CHSA has respectfully delayed the opening of our upcoming We Are Bruce Lee exhibition. Amid these ever-changing times, know that the health and comfort of our community is of the utmost priority and importance to CHSA, and we are carefully monitoring and adapting to the relevant guidelines in order to determine a new exact grand opening date.
We will get there.
As Bruce himself said, “Be Water, My Friend.” We are looking forward to sharing with you We Are Bruce Lee in early 2022.
Please stay tuned for more information as we announce updates to the exhibition and other programming and content. To learn more about or support this exhibition, check out We Are Bruce Lee and follow CHSA.
In the meantime, pre-sale tickets will be made available soon, with CHSA members receiving first priority. For more information on how to become a member, to help sustain our museum’s work, please visit CHSA.org.
1950 US Census Available 4/1/2022
From Grant Din, grant@tonaidin.net
I just got this from fellow genealogist Renee Carl last week. “NARA just dropped a press release announcing that the 1950 Census will be powered with an AI/ML/OCR name search.” Renee was involved in a beta test and was seriously impressed with this Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning/Optical Character Recognition technology. I encourage you to read the NARA release she links to. It sounds like this technology will allow you to search for names right from the time the census is released on April 1, 2022, but in case you can’t find who you are looking for, there are actually other ways.
When the 1940 census results were released in 2012, the volunteers at Family Search, the paid indexers at Ancestry and other people took about 4-6 months to index the records, so this technology could save us many months of waiting. In case you can’t find your family through this name search right away, you can also search through Enumeration Districts (E.D.s), which are smaller segments of a community and not too difficult to look at block by block.
There are ways to figure out ahead of time which E.D.s your family members may have lived in so you can look in them as soon as the census is released on April 1. I just attended a webinar by Thomas MacEntee and he had two handouts he encouraged us to share (please attribute them to him if you pass them along). One is full of great information and links (ignore where he says the 2022 release date is two years away!) and the other is a spreadsheet you can use to input your family’s (or whomever you are researching) information in an organized fashion, which he describes in the informational handout.
If you know or can figure out where the person you’re researching lived (there are many directories online, or you can use correspondence or ask someone who was alive then), you can use an amazing tool developed by Steve Morse (developer of the Intel 8086 chip!). Go here:https://stevemorse.org/census/unified.html and click on 1950 in the pull-down menu at the top of the page. Then pull down the appropriate information to find out which enumeration districts correspond with the address you’re looking for.
It also works for rural areas. For example, a lot of people have roots in the Sacramento River Delta – towns like Isleton, Walnut Grove, Locke, Courtland, etc. You can select Sacramento County, then under city, choose “Other.” I typed in “Courtland,” and got 34-119, which includes ” GEORGIANA JUDICIAL TOWNSHIP (TRACT SC-136) BOUNDED BY (N) COUNTY LINE, JUDICIAL TOWNSHIP LINE; (E) JUDICIAL TOWNSHIP LINE; (S) LAUREL LN; (W) SACRAMENTO RIVER, COUNTY LINE, AND SHOULD CONTAIN LAMBERT, VORDEN, COURTLAND.”
That’s just one example. This information should help you find family members when the 1950 census is released on April 1, 2022! Please post if you have other ideas or if I have some incorrect information.
Chinese American WWII Veterans National Ceremony
Watch the recorded videos of the September 30, 2021 Chinese American WWII Veterans Congressional Gold Medal Ceremony in Washington, D.C.
Watch the presentation of the National Chinese American WWII Veterans Congressional Gold Medal Presentation on Facebook by clicking the button below. Note there is a 28 minute delay at the beginning of the video.
When the title page appears click the area between WWII and Veterans to start the video.
At the bottom of the video move the slider to 28:55.
Watch the Gala speaking program on Facebook by clicking the button below.
Share the events with your friends and family. Don’t forget to tag @AARPAAPI when sharing.
Sponsored By:
The Chinese American WWII Veterans Recognition Project is a program of the Chinese American Citizens Alliance (C.A.C.A.), a 501(c)8, and the National Chinese American Citizens Alliance Community Involvement Fund, a 501(c)3. Together we are spearheading a national campaign to identify, honor and recognize the efforts and accomplishments of all Chinese Americans who served in the United States Armed Services in World War II. For more information contact cgminfo@caww2.org.
VENG Group | C.A.C.A. C.I.F., Washington, DC 20035
China Camp State Park, a Hidden Gem
In mid-July, a member of the Bay Area Chinese Genealogy Group (BACGG) contacted Dr. Jason Lau to make arrangements for a docent tour of China Camp State Park. Half of the eight were first time visitors. Martin Lowenstein, FOCC executive director, welcomed the group at the café. The slightly breezy August afternoon visit included a tour of the former Chinese fishing village by Ed Lai. His presentation included the history of Miwok, Spanish, and Chinese inhabitants. His tour began with a walk out on the pier to see the replica of a Chinese fishing junk, museum, and shrimp processing equipment. Back at the cafe, volunteer, Ernie Stanton, shared details about the Quans, the last family to run the café, and pointed out photos from when the village was used as a set for a John Wayne film, Blood Alley.
Naturalist, Jerry Coe, led the group on a nature hike on the Turtle Back Loop. He discussed the history of the pre-colonial Miwok who lived in harmony with the land. Jerry patiently helped members of the group learn to identify different flora. They all tasted pickle weed, a source of salt, from the marshland.
Members of the group joined FOCC and also made donations. An article about China Camp State Park will be posted on the BACGG website later this month.
“China Camp State Park is a 1,514-acre park nestled along the shoreline of San Pablo Bay in San Rafael, California. The park boasts panoramic views, lush oak woodlands, and over 100 acres of protected tidal salt marsh. Whether you’re a hiker or mountain biker, a history buff, or a beach lover, you’ll have an unforgettable day at China Camp.
Visit China Camp’s historic shrimping village and beach area. The village is the perfect place to bring friends and family for a fun day trip. Visit the museum to learn more about China Camp’s fascinating history. Stop by the historic cafe on weekends for snacks and cold drinks. The site features first-come, first-served picnic areas with tables, drinking water, bathrooms, and an outdoor shower.
Learn more about the Chinese shrimp fishing in San Francisco Bay: watch a video by Chinese Whispers: Bay Chronicles.
http://chinese-whispers.org/bay-chronicles/
Friends of China Camp (FOCC) is the community-based nonprofit organization that keeps China Camp State Park open. Since 2012, FOCC has been the sole operator and manager of the park. The organization, largely run by volunteers, is responsible for covering all expenses related to keeping the park open. Find out how you can become a member, and help keep China Camp open and thriving for all.
Friends of China Camp (FOCC) is committed to keeping China Camp State Park open and thriving for our community. To learn more about China Camp, plan a day trip, or camping trip visit the FOCC website at https://friendsofchinacamp.org
National Archives Operations
As local public health metrics allow, research rooms will open on a limited basis and by appointment only. You must have a virtual consultation before the on-site visit. Staff at all locations will continue to respond to emailed requests for records. Further information is in this press release.
The Rotunda of the National Archives Building in Washington, DC, and some Presidential Library museums are open with limited capacity.
Reopenings and operations will rely on local public health metrics. Check the specific facility page for updates. More information about the National Archives’ response to coronavirus can be found at archives.gov/coronavirus.
[chineseamericanfamilyhistory] National Archives Announces Limited Reopening of Research RoomsInbox Marisa Louie Lee6:37 AM (3 hours ago) to chineseamericanfamilyhistoryHi everyone: Sharing the news about NARA reopening most research rooms starting August 2! I don’t yet have an appointment on the books for our local facility in San Bruno (the National Archives at San Francisco) but I’m looking forward to returning after so many months away. ———- Forwarded message ——— From: National Archives <public.affairs@nara.gov> Date: Fri, Jul 16, 2021 at 11:21 AM Subject: National Archives Announces Limited Reopening of Research Rooms  National Archives Announces Limited Reopening of Research Rooms WASHINGTON, July 16, 2021–The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is starting to resume research room operations. Several locations have already begun pilots to test research room policies and procedures that promote social distancing, while otherwise allowing us to serve records in a secure manner, and starting Monday, August 2, most National Archives research rooms will reopen for research on a limited basis. NARA services will look very different from the services provided prior to COVID-19. Research visits will be by appointment only and will require a virtual consultation prior to the onsite visit. Boxes of records will be pulled in advance and will be waiting at an assigned table. Research appointments will initially be for 4-5 hours total, depending on the location. In addition, we have implemented a number of measures to ensure the safety of our researchers and staff: Requiring that unvaccinated visitors wear face coverings during their visit. Limiting the number of people in each research room. Requiring that those who are sick or do not feel well stay home. Implementing safe social distancing through stanchions, physical barriers, floor markings, one-way paths, and directional guidance. Chairs will be removed and workspaces will be blocked to promote physical distancing between researchers. Following CDC cleaning guidance. In addition, researchers will contribute to sanitizing procedures by cleaning their assigned tables and equipment before and after their research. Researchers should wash their hands thoroughly before entering and after exiting research rooms and regularly throughout their visit to the facility. Hand sanitizer will be readily available outside of the research rooms. Records quarantine: All record material accessed by a researcher will be quarantined after use for three full days, and the records will not be available to other researchers during the quarantine period. Contact tracing: If a researcher or NARA employee experiences COVID-19 symptoms while in a NARA research room or later reports symptoms, a diagnosis, or a close contact with a person who tested positive for COVID-19, NARA will use contact information collected during the researcher registration process to notify other researchers of a potential exposure.Please email the relevant facility using the contact information on their facility page to request an appointment. Researchers should check the specific facility page for details and updates, as the situation can change quickly. Thank you for your patience and understanding as we work to reopen our facilities in a careful and deliberate manner that prioritizes the safety of staff and the public. We look forward to welcoming you back to our research facilities.# # # For press information, contact the National Archives Public and Media Communications staff at public.affairs@nara.gov. 21-50NARA locations nationwide Our mailing address is: 700 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington DC, 20408 |
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Bystander Intervention PSA
Learn more about bystander intervention. Attend a free ihollaback online training
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BYSTANDER INTERVENTION TRAININGS
Hollaback! teaches bystander intervention using our proven 5D’s methodology: Distract, Delegate, Document, Delay, and Direct. Exit polls show that 99% of people we train leave confident they will intervene next time they witness disrespect or harassment. Here are specific trainings in this space that we offer:
Sign up for a free Guide to Bystander Invention https://www.ihollaback.org/
Discover Your Story at RootsTech Connect – Free Registration
Join the world’s largest family celebration for free to unlock your family’s history and learn how to preserve the stories of your life.
25 – 27 FEBRUARY, 2021
Introducing RootsTech Connect: A Free Online Conference Experience
For the first time ever, the world’s largest family celebration event will be entirely virtual and completely free. Get ready to celebrate shared connections with people from around the world. Connect with friends, your family, your past, and your heritage and homelands—all from the comfort of your home and in your browser.
Celebrity Keynote Speakers
Keynotes are a huge part of RootsTech events. They deliver messages of inspiration and hope. Stay tuned for the full lineup of keynote speakers to be announced soon.
Virtual Marketplace
The virtual Marketplace will be the perfect place to see the latest innovations, interact with companies from around the world, and find answers and resources to aid you in your work. Plus, get real-time help via video or live chat!
Cultural Activities
Celebrate the world’s cultures with activities such as homeland cooking demonstrations, yoga, and music from around the world. These experiences will be available throughout the online event and on demand.
Connect with Family from Anywhere
Finding cousins and interacting with other attendees is an important part of the RootsTech model. Enjoy exclusive opportunities to chat with other attendees through various messaging boards, social media interactions, and video chats.