Free Inquiry in Creative Sociology Special Collection of At1icles 29

OAKLAND CHINATOWN'S FIRST YOUTH GANG: THE SUEY SING BOYS Gregory Vee Mark, University of Hawaii at Manoa

ABSTRACT Research concerned with Chinese gangs in the United States foc:uMs on two sites, San Francisco and NewYorit. Thia=aminesOakland Chinatown andthedevelopmentofbtntChinese Immigrant youth gang,~ Suey Sing , during the flveyars from 1968-1973.1 relyhuvllyondat8from ~sources such as intlefviewswilh gMg members and field obeervations. Keytopica forinveltigltion.,.theformafionofthe Suey Singboys,therelationahlpoftheyouthgangstotheChinatownsocialstructunt,andtherelationshipbetween gangs in Oakland and San Frandsc:o.

INTRODUCTION (1943), traditional gang research has paid little The gang problem is an issue of serious or no attention to the Chinese community. concern to American society. Many people are Reasons include lack of interest by traditional fearful of, and many are adversely affected by, youth gang researchers, often Hnked to im­ gangs and their activities. The American pub­ agesofChinese and other Asian Americans as lic demands tougher police tactics, punish­ the "model minority: the difficulty of gaining ment, and prisons in response. Despite vigor­ access to Chinese gang members, especially ous efforts, aime and ganga continue to be for OOIH;hinese resurchers, and the political major social problems in the United States. and social Isolation of the Asian American Although most Americans can trace their an­ community (Joe 1994). cestry to Europe, the literature on youth gangs This paper explores the premise that focuses primarily on African American and Chinatown gangs are not isolated entities, but Hispanic gangs. are a part of, and connected to, the Chinese The 1960s witnessed the emergence of community; gangs impact community life and contemporary Chinese gangs in the United the community impacts gangs. The topics dis­ States. The first nationally known Chinese cussed are 1) the histol ical development of the gang, the Hwa Chings, which means "young first contemporary youth gang in the Qakland, Chinese,• originated in San Francisco China­ California Chinatown community, 2) the "gang town in· 1964. Eventually, branches of this perspective• onwhytheyformed a gang, 3) the group and other similar types of gangs spread relationship of the Oakland gang to Chinatown throughout America's Chinatowns. Since the convnunlty organizations, and 4) the relation­ 1970s, due to escalating violence and ex­ ship between Chinese gangs in different sites, panded aiminalactivities, Chinese gangs have San Francisco and Oskland. been increasingly viewed as a major social problem in the Chinese American community METHODOLOGY and as a menace to society-at..jarge. In gov­ I began inquiring about Chinese gangs, ernment reports and the popular media, these in 1968, to understand gang members' expe­ gangs are blamed for the Increasing violence riences and why such gangs form. Oakland, in Chinatowns, shiploads of undocumented California (1960, population 367,548) was an Chinese invnigrants, and the massive smug­ ideal city in which to doa.lment the ~ gling of illegal drugs to the United States. ment of a gang. Chinatown was located in the Although theae sources frequently exaggerate heart of the city, adjacent to the downtown the aiminality of the Chinese gang situation, it shopping area and the main police headquar­ is accurate to state that Chinese gangs are ters, and near city hall. There were no deviant involved in a variety of aimlnal ac::tlvtties, such Chinese groups operating In the area. UnHke as extortion, burglary, robbery, assault, and San Frwx:isco Chinatown, wilh a myriad of murder, that bring hardship and misery, espe­ social organizations, Oakland Chinatown had cially to the Chinese community. only a few, such as the Wong Family ~ Study of Chinese gangs broadens our ciation, the Chinese American Citizen Alli­ knowledge of earty gang form8tion and gang ance, and the Suey Sing Tong. structure, and illustr'.tes how gangs can inter­ First as a participant observer, my field face with Chinatown organizations within the observations were the foundation to this study. contextofcontemporaryiOCialproblems. Since In youth and adult gang studies that utilize the inception of gang studies by researchers observation as the primary methodology Frederick Thrasher (1927) and William 'Nhyte (PadiUa 1993; Patrick 1973; Whyte 1943), the 30 Volum e 30, No. 3, Winter 2003 Free Inquiry in Creative Sociology researchers target a particular community or Chinese gangs and crime in Oakland China­ group to study. In my case, the gang members town. Government criminal intelligence re­ adopted me as friend and confidant. My father ports or law enforcement conference papers was a well respected tong member who had an were of little use because of their unreliability excellent rapport with gang members. I was and lack of emphasis on Oakland. Govern­ also treated with respect and loyalty by the ment reports do show growing concern of state Suey Sing boys. Though not a gang member, and federal law enforcement agencies regard­ I was looked upon as an educated friend who ing Chinese gangs and heroiJl smuggling. worked for the members' welfare and needs. I Fourth, a few researchers have pub­ had access to the social benefits ofgang mem­ lished books or articles concerning Chinese bership such as intra-group friendship, but gangs in San Francisco and New York (Chin neverthe responsibilities, such as participating 1990; Chin, Fagan, Kelly 1992; Joe 1994; in violent confrontations with other groups. I Kwong 1987; Lyman 1970; Sung 19n; Takagi, was marginally a part of the group, who could Platt-1978). Noone has studied Chinese gangs communicate with its members. I obtained in Oakland. Only Gong and Grant (1930) and meaningful and valid information as a semi­ Chin (1990) examine the tongs to any signifi­ participant observer. cant extent. Second, I conducted numerous informal interviews with San Francisco and Oakland REVIEW OF UTERATURE adult Suey Sing members and the Oakland There is a multitude of youth gq stud­ Suey Sing boys, in a four and a half year period ies in the United States, most concerned with (summer of 1968 to early 1973). Conversa­ ethnic minority communities. However, there tions were held at restaurants, bowling alleys, has been a dearth of scholarty research and and the Oakland Suey Sing dubhouse. I re­ publications concerning the Chinese gangs in corded the gist of these conversations and the United States. What little there is tans into informal interviews but at that time I was not two major categories: 1) journalistic accounts, involved in any active gang research. ·Since some of which are based upon law enforce.. 1993, I have conducted eight interviews with ment gang task force reports (Bresler 1981; former Oakland Suey Sing boys and their Posner 1988), and 2) descriptivelthe! associates. According to the authors axmt studies (Chin 1990; Chin, Fagan 1994; Chin, and key Informants, there were •officially" 28 Fagan, Kelly 1992; Joe 1993, 1994; Lyman Suey Sing boys. Two were considered to be 1970; Sung 1977; Takagi, Platt 1978). part of the Oakland Suey Sing boys and simul­ Some journalistic accounts glamorize taneously were part ofthe San Francisc:o Suey Chinese gangs and heighten the fear of these Sing group. One resided and went to school in gangs Hooding the U.S. shores with tons of Oakland but spent a great deal of time in San drugs. Two of these accounts, by Bresler Francisco and was considered to be an influ­ (1981) and Posner (1988), state that adult and ential gang member. Interviews, which were yooog Chinese criminals are trafficking in about 1.5 hours long, were tape recorded (with beroin~Sntsler believes that there is an inter­ permission) and transaibed in summary form. nalionaiChinesecrimeconapiracythat is~ Data collection spanned three years (1993- quartered in Asia. Posner maintains that the 1996). Quality ranged from little useful infor­ Chinese Triads are.the most power:ful form of mation to fuU descriptions of events and com­ organized crime in thewortd and consequently munity social life. pose the most serious threat to lllw enforce­ Third, I examined archival sources in ment Both charge that the Triads in Asia, the newspapers and governmental reports. From tonga in Chinatowns, and the Chinese youth 1970 to 1988, there were articles about Chi­ gangs are in close contact and structurally nese gangs in San Francisco, New Yort, and related, posing a serious threat. Los Angeles. A study of New Yorlc Tmes Scholarly works on Chinese gangs con­ articles on Chinese Americans over an SO­ cern two dties. Lyman's (1970) study focused year period showed an abundance of crime on San Francisco Chinatown gangs, describ­ coverage (Auman, Mart 1997). The study ing they were due to changing demographics notes that half of the coverage analyzed was and • tr8dition of social banditry from China. crime-related, followed by political events He examined the development of American (25%), routine other news, and culture (Auman," bomandforeign bom San Francisco Chinatown Malt 1997). There were only a few articles on gangs, such as the Hwa Chings and the Red Free Inquiry in Creative Sociology Special Collection of Articles 3/

Guards, from the 1950s through the early waterfront and the Oakland downtown/com­ 1970s. mercial area. By 1880, the location of the pres­ Sung (19n) examines New York China­ ent Chinatown was established just a few town gangs using theories of social disor­ blocks from where City Hall is today. As .in ganization, social structure, crime as con­ most other cities, Chinatown was restrided to formity to explain the nature, and formation of old, undesirable, commercial districts because these youth gangs. of racial segregation in both housing and com­ Chin's 1990 book, Chinese Subcqlture mercial enterprises. Thus, Chinatown was and Criminality, focuses on New York China­ originally established in the midst of ware­ town gangs, examining Chinatowns, Chinese houses, factories, rooming houses, and junk­ secret societies, the development of Chinese yards. By 1960, oakland Chinatown was in a gangs nationally, Chinese gang patterns and sharp dedine due to dispersal of Chinese to charaderistics, and social sources of Chinese other areas in the East Bay and the reduction gang delinquency. He studies the relation of of residential housing, attributed to construc­ adult Chinatown organizations and Chinese tion of the Nimitz Freeway, Laney Community criminality, and why and how Chinese gangs College, the Oakland Museum, and the Bay formed, daiming that New York Chinatown Area Rapid Transit (BART) (Chow 1976). Chinese gangs and the tongs have a symbiotic An additional and forgotten fador in relationship that deeply intertwines both bod­ Chinatown's deterioration was the decline of ies. gambling. This was due to the passage of the Karen Joe (1994b) examined the rela­ 1951 Federal Stamp Ad (26 U.S.C. 4401 and tionships between Asian American gangs and 4402), which levied a flat ten percent tax on two variables, organized aime and drug distri­ wagering income and an additional fifty-dollar bution (The New Criminal Conspiracy? Asian tax on gambling operators. VIOlators could Gangs and OffJBnized Crime in San Fran­ receive a $10,000 fine and five years in prison. cisco). In regard to San Francisco Chinatown Thus, gambling in Oakland Chinatown was gangs, her findings indicate that gang mem­ sharply curtailed, which severely impacted bers know little of and have little or no contad businesses that thrived from the gambling with the tongs in Chinatown. Therefore, Joe industry (Mark 1989). There were fewer jobs, found no evidence to indicate that the tongs in fewer residents, and a significant deaease in San Francisco are actually organized crime Chinatown business activity. groups that have incorporated gang members By the ~1960s, Oakland Chinatown into illegal enterprises.ln addition, her findings stabilized a lis residential population grew support the thesis that the gangs as an orga­ because of the lnaeaee in immigrants as a nized group are not involved in heroin traffick­ result of the 19651rnmigration Nationalization ing. Some gang members, as individuals, Ad. Families began to reappear, and the local were involved with drugs, but not the entire elementary school (lincoln School), the neigh­ gang. borhood junior high school (West Lake), and Joe (1994a) Myths and Realities ofAsian the two high schools (Oakland Technical High Gangs on the West Coast, poses two related and Oakland High) enrolled progressivaly larg­ questions: are Chinese gangs welkxganized er numbers of foreign born Chinese students. with ties to the San Franciaco tongs and the In 1970, Oakland's Chinese population num­ Triads in Asia? and Are Asian gangs in North­ bered 11 ,335 and the Chinatown core area em California involved in heroin traflicklng? supported a population ot 1 ,607 Chinese Joe refutes the theory, supported by jotmalis­ (Tracts 4030 and 4033) which represented tic accounts, that Asian street gangs are part 570 families (Homma-True 1976). By 1970, of a larger conspiracy of an •Asian Mafia" and the Chinatown community waa comprised organized crime. She also tllkes issue with mostly of immigrants, and 22 percent ofChina­ U.S. law enforcement beliefs and policies, in town residents were ciBsified with incomes particular, the link between Chinese youth below the poverty level as compared to 13 per­ gangs and the Chinese Triads in Hong Kong cent of the rest of the city. The median income and Taiwan. in Chinatown waa $6,690 compared to $9,626 for the rest of the city. OAKLAND CHINATOWN Oakland Chinatown has been located in five different sites, each centered around the 32 Volume 30. No. 3. Winter 2003 Free Inquiry in Creative Sociology

"HWA CHINGS" IN SAN FRANCISCO plaguing Chinatown. Tom Tom was quoted as CHINATOWN saying: San Francisco Chinatown supported 40,000 people in an area of 42 blocks (Takagi, TT: ...Weneverman:hedasagang .... You have Platt 1978). American-born Chinese street toklustostop us. YOUsplitrrfl head ope~ get comer groups such as the ·chinos· rchi­ up, keep fighting. We all been to the hospital. I nese· in Spanish) became visible in the late beenthreetimea. 1950s. They raced hot rods and ·frequented 1: Wh8l did you use as weapons? Chinatown bars. One group known as the TT: Axes and knives. ·euga· became involved in burglaries and I: Axes? went identified by their black clothing and TT: Yeah. They don't slice but they hurt plenty. raised heel boots. In 1985 over a peric)d of six (Wolfe1969) months, the Bugs committed 48 ~ worth $7500 cash and $3000 in merchai'Kiiae In 1967168, San Francisco Chinatown (Lvm.n. 1970), but· the San FranciiQG Police leaders devised a plan to split 1he Hwa Chings Department ~ key arrests and broke up into various factions in order to control the the B.ugs gang. ChinatoWn gang violence and extortion. The In 1964-66, the Hwa Chinga (Young Chinatown etdabliahment leaders tumed to Chinese) were formed by mainly teen-aged one part of the community's social structure, immlgrwd youths, the majority from Hong the tongs. Four of Chinatown's five major Kong. The Chinese population in the United tongs (Hop Sing Tong, Hip Sing Tong, Bung States, and in Chinatowns, in pel1icular .were Kong Tq, Yin On Tong, and Suey Sing inaeaaing because of the changes in United Tong) inviled gang,members to join them and S1ates immig1ation taws and ~that per­ each ~·. a Hwa Ching leader and re­ mitted an increase in Chinese in'lfnlsptian to cn.ited him aod his followers into the tortg. The the United ,States. As mont Chinele Immi­ tonga offered 1he youth gang members a club grated to San Francisco, the Hwa Ching& be­ house to hang out in, a •slush fund. for bail, came larger, more visible, and more powerfJ.II. and employment opportunities in Chinatown They committed atmes such as ~ ·and gambling dena which they con(R)IIed. assault. The Hwa Ching& had - estilneted The Hop Sing Tong was initialythe most 300 members in a looeely organized group. In active tong in the reauitment of gang ~ an interview with a reporter, -rom Tom• de­ bars. SCJO{l .,.... young gang members went clared that the Hwa Ching& only w.rted jobs, demandii1g prOtection money from Chinalown girts, and to be left alone (lyman 1970). Tom. gambling.. cter,a. However, moat of the dens Tom was the gang's main leader, bUt there were under • .protection of Suey Sing. As a were others high in the leadership .tructure I'88Uit. a.,&.ey Sing Tong actively reauited who had many followers. Tom Tom;and his Hwa Ching followers in order By 1967, Hwa Ching crimes bec;ame. to counteriiCt Hop Sing. The gang situation in more violent, and to the Chinatown~ ~ -: ~ly changed from one ment, mont serious, when they extorted China­ large gang, to five smaller ones, the renvl8nts town businesses for protection money. .In-. of the Hwa- Chings and the four tong youth winter of 1968, the Hwa Chinga, through their. ~.~vying for power and control over spokesman, George Woo, threatened tQ bum the. Chinatown community. Contrary to the down Chinatown if their ttem.nda for .,_.. intentions of the Chinatown elders, gang ~ jobs and educational opportunities WMt·· At­ lenc:e increased, and the tongs could not con­ fused. Although the Hwa Ching& did not and trol the youth groups. The top gang ~ the probably could not follow through on ·.their fear and respec;t of the community. By the end threats, the Chinatown establishment raeli2,tld of :1968, the Tom Tom gang, the youth gang that some action had to be taken (lyman affiliated with the San Francisco Suey Sing 1970). Tong, emerged as the strongest gang. In 1969, the Hwa Chinga gained the attention of the national media. In the De­ SUEY SING TONG cember 1969 issue of Esquire magazine, Tom The word tong means "hall; or, freely Tom and the Hwa Ching& were part of an translated, "lodge.• The tongs descended from article, "The New Yellow Pent: that centered Triad or •secret societies. that originated in upon the conflicts and violence that were China. Formed after the Manchu overthrow of Free Inquiry in Creative Sociology Special Collection of Articles 33

the Ming Dynasty in 1644, the tongs sought to employment referrals, and burial arrange­ overthrow the Manchus and to restore to power ments; 3) the tong dubhouse provided oppor­ the Mings. The concept of these secret societ­ tunities for members; 4) the tong protected the ies was transferred to the United States and business interests of its leaders by providing the first tong, the Kwong Duck Tong, was opportunities for additional business, such as founded in San Francisco in 1852. The second business partnerships. was the Hip Sing Tong, the only tong to have branches throughout the United States. Soon WHY FORM A GANG? after the Hip Sing Tong was founded, Y ee low Only three studies (Chin 1990; lyman Dai established the Suey Sing Tong (Hall of 1970; Takagi, Platt 1978) concerned with Auspicious Victory) (Gong, Grant 1930). Chinatown youth gangsexaminewhythe gangs · The initial purpose of the tongs was to formed. lyman (1970) asserts that the gangs counteract the larger and wealthier family were a product of conflict and rebellion, and (surname) associations (Gong, Grant 1930). examines why existing groups such as the The early history of the tongs was marked by Hwa Ching develop in a specific direction. conflicts with other Chinese societies, espe­ Takagi and Platt (1978) attribute gang cially the family associations. The tongs were formation and gang violence to the social most successful in their wars with the dans structure, asserting that the Chinatown struc­ and by the 1890s gained a great deal of power ture, specifically the tongs, were the reasons and wealth. SimuHaneoualy, the tongs gradu­ for the violence in Chinatown. ally lost sight of their original function, which Ko-lin Chin (1990) believed that caus­ was to seek justice for the weaker groups. ative and interv~ng social factors gave lise to Inside Chinatown the ~t societies soon Chinese gang delinquency, including school took control ofgambling and prostitution (Gong, problems, family problems, and the lack of Grant 1930). employment opportunities. These factors alien­ Since Wor1d War II, the tongs have con­ ate immigrants from the Chinatown commu­ tinued their involvement in the gambling in­ nity and the broader society. Chin asserts that dustry (Mark 1989). A tong would either di­ these causative factors, coupled with interven­ rectly operate a gambling den or have it under ing factors. such as affiliation with and inter­ its protection (Chin 1990). If a gambling den nalization of tong nonns and values, contrib­ was on a tong's protection list, the den would ute to a youth group's development into a make weekly contributions to the tong and Chinatown street gang. possibly hire some of its members (Mark In this section, I look at an eartier stage 1989). in Chinatown gang formation than the three The Suey Sing Tong national head­ other researchers. V\lhat I believe is important quarters is located in San Francisco China­ to explore is just why these youth join or form town. There are nine Suey Sing branches in a group in the first place. the western U.S.: Oakland, Stockton, Watson­ Duling my five years of association with ville, Salinas, Marysvlle, Monterey, Portland, the Suey Sing boys, I had the opportunity to and Seattle. The ten Suey Sing Tongs elect casually talk to many of the San Francisco and officers every year. For example, in 1972, Oakland members. Several, including Tom eleven officers were elected for the San Fran­ Tom, were origin11l Hwa Ching members. All of cisco headquarters. ~ top seven positions the gang members indicated that after their were occupied by Chinatown business own- arrival in the United States, they were verbally ers. harassed and physically abused by many Chinese New Year is a significant event different groups at school and in their neigh­ for the different Suey Sing Tongs. Although all borhoods. The gang members stated that the of the branches celebrate this annual event, people that harassed them the most were the each year, one Suey Sing Tong hosts the other American-born Chinese (ABCs). Regarding cities for a large celebration with performances this topic, Tom Tom stated in an interview: by a Chinese orchestra and singers, banquet dinners and gambling. We use to fight the American-born Chinese all By the 1970s, the Suey Sing Tong served the time. They call us 'Chinabugs.• We say four basic functions: 1) It celebrated special 'Who you think you ...?'They say, WeAmeri­ occasions such as New Year. 2) It provided ca!H)om.'That'sajcke.They Chinese same as assistance such as interpreter services, us. (Wolfe 1969). 3./ Volume 30. No. 3, Winter 2003 Free Inquiry in Creative Sociology

Another gang leader stated: in 1970. Shortly after the first arrival of Chinese wo!i(ers to the United States in 1850, racial I wanted to go to school. And I tried. But it didn't disQ'imination and hatred was directed to­ worit. You know what happens; the other Chi­ wards the newcomers, culminating in the Chi­ ~kidsuy~ya~~Ch~~~ neseExclusiooActsof1882, 1888,1892,and cans. They spit on me. (AHard 1975) 1902 (lai, Choy 1971). For over a hundred years, to be Chinese in the United States As a result. many Chinese immigrant youths meant to be slandered, abused, and treated as were forced to band together with other Chi­ a third class citizen with few of the rights nese immigrants in order to protect them­ guaranteed by the Constitution to other Ameri­ selves (Thompson 1976). cans. To many young Chinese Americans, to 'Nny would the ABCs antagonize the be Chinese was not desirable. VVhat was Chinese immigrant children, conmonfY re­ desirable was to be like mainstream white ferred to as "FOBs" (Fresh Off the · Boat)? America; IN)88king standard English, eating Many local-bam Chinese respond tothia ques­ sandwicfi8s, cookies, and milk for lunch, and tion by stating that the foreign-bam Chinese wearing the latest American teen fastaions. As represented everything that they "wanted to a result, 8nYthing associating them with China get away from" such as speaking Chinese, and being Chinese was rejected. dressing differently. eating Chinese food, and simply not being "American." Ignatius Chinn, THE OAKLAND SUEY SING TONG · who for 21 years was the primary police officer YOUTH GROUP working in Oakland Chinatown, expresses this The Oakland Suey Sing Tong is located sentiment. Chinn grew up in a fYiiddle.;d8ss on 8th Street, right in the heart of ChinatoWn. family, his father was an Oakland accountant, Oakland Chinatown supports several Chinese his mother a seaetary. Asked about his youth, traditional associations and community ser­ Chinn speaks with painful candor. vice organizations; but Suey Sing is the only tong. In 196611967, teenage immigrants be­ When I was young, I was tlyingtobewhile. Most gan to develop a convnunity reputatiOn as a of my friends at Westlake Junior High and group of young toughs who frequently got Into Oakland High School were while. When 1.:.W trouble. One incident occurred in late 1967 Asian immigrants I thought they were gMks. l when two Oakland youths. "Barry" and "Puki," felt c:ont~mptforthem because they ...minded were beaten up in San Francisco Chinatown me of who I didn't want to be ... by some Hwa Ching members including "Ben Gong" and a youth nicknamed "Big Head." As With difficulty. Chinn tells of feeling ashamed a result, Tom Tom and his San Francisco when friends visited his house and met his followef's assisted and befriended the two from unde from Canton, who spoke no EngUsh. Oakland. "Ben Gong" was later murdered in 1970, in an unrelated aime. By 1967168, Ifelt uncomfoftable because they remilded me approximately 28 young men who hung out on of what I was trying so hard not to be. ~

By the end of 1972, Tom Tom's gangs provide Chinese-speaking referral and social power base eroded because of a change in services to the Qakland Chinese community. policy by the San Francisco tongs and tncreas­ In 1970, OCCC hired its first full-time salaried ing competition and conflict with other gangs Executive Director, Edward K. Chook. little in Chinatown. First, by the sunmer of 1972, was known about Chook except that he was the San Francisco experiment of incorporating active in the local Kuomintang (KMT) Party. In the former Hwa Chings into the tongs was th8"beginning of his tenure, EBCYC and Ed­ deemed a failure. The tong youth groups were ward Chook had a cordial working relation­ viewed as too big a liability. ln San Francisco, ship. By 1972, the relationship had cooled a both the Hop Sing and Suey Sing tongs, who great deal. According to Tom Tom, Chook had had the largest youth groups, either expelled advised him and his followers to take over the many youth members or no longer supported Youth Council. Chook even promised Tom the youth. In San Francisco Suey Sing, only Tom that he would help set up youth programs fifteen who actually became tong members such as the summer Neighborhood Youth remained. Corp program. In 1972/1973, Tom Tom's ef­ Another factor was the reemergence of fof:ts to remodel EBCYC for his personal ben­ the Hwa Chings. In January 1970, one of the efit had failed and the organization had a quiet old Hwa Ching leaders, Kenny Mack, was dis­ end. Tom Tom lost his followers and was charged from the u.s. army. He maneuventd shor1ly afterward deported to Hong Kong be­ his way back into power and revitalized the cause of a felony conviction. Hwa Chings. One night in August 1972, Tom UnliketheirSanFranciscocoooterparts, Tom was severely beaten in a San Francisco the original Oakland Suey Sing youth 91"QUP Chinatown restaurant. He was hospitalized tor did not extort Oakland Chinatown busineiiel six weeks. During that time, the Tom Tom and community members. However, after the gang dissolved: some joined other gangs, Mel group no longer existed as a Suey Sing Tong others left the gang life. Still olhers hed tO flee sponsored group, some of Tom Tom's young because Tom Tom could no longer protect Oakland followers named themlelves ·suey them, and a few, including Tom Tom himself, Sing boys• and began to extort rnembei's Of the moved to Oakland. Thus, the transition of Oakland Chinese conwnunity. In November power was made-the Hwa Chings bec:ame 1972, a local newspaper reported the arrest the strongest gang in San FrancilcoChnltoWn. and conviction of four Chinese juveniles and Tom Tom and the remnants of the San two adults who were part of an extortion ring. FranciscoSueySinggroupatten~to...... _ To their victims they identified themselves as blish themselves as a viable gang In Oakland. ·suey Sing boys: Tom Tom approached the Oekland Suey Sing The Suey Sing boys took a variety of boys and was rejected by the older group that paths. Four continued their deviant life style once supported him. As mentioned eaitler, arid have become involved with drugs and two EBCYC had positively influenc:ed some of the were Incarcerated for serious aimes such as older gang members and they did not want to mUrder. Twenty are married with children, and follow Tom Tom. they have indicated that they do not want them Some of the younger Suey Sing mem­ to join any gang. Six own and operate busi­ bers and their friends followed Tom Tom and nesses. One is a well known chef and restau­ initiated a hostile takeover of the EBCYC dub rant owner in another city. Approximately 20 house, programs, and staff. I participated in are gainfully employed in occupations such as three months of negotiations which resulted in hair stylist and automobile mechanic, and the takeover of the Youth Council by Tom Tom ~een have moved out of Oakland but still and a few of his followers. Bythetime1he g8ng live In the greater San Francisco Bay Area, and members took over the EBCYC, nothing wris are successful in their professional and per­ left to take over except for an empty shell of a sonal lives. dub house. The EBCYC Board of Oiredorl and staff had transferred everything to the IMPUCATIONS AND CONCLUSIONS newly founded organization, East Bay Asians The findings from this study suggest for Convnunity Action, which continued and that earty Chinese gangs on the West Coast expanded upon the EBCYC programs. were not originally a product of mere greed and In 1968, the Qakland Chinese ~ itriltiOnal deviant behavior. Instead, they were munity Council (OCCC) was established to initially a group of youths who banded together Free Inquiry in Creative Sociology Special Collection of Articles 3 7

for protection and survival. Even today, thirty differenttoday. There are now 16 predominantly years later, young immigrants still join Chi­ ethnic Chinese gangs in Oakland and many nese gangs, Samoan gangs, Cambodian are based in Chinatown. They have gang gangs, and Filipino gangs for mutual-protec­ names such as the Red Fire, Wo Hop To, Viet­ tion (Aiegado 1994; Revilla 1996). The impli­ namese Troublemakers, Asian Car Thieves, cations of this study for public policy makers is and Chinatown Rulers (Rosenthal1991 ). What that they should look beyond the gangs as the can we do? sole problem, and to look inwards towards the broader Asian American community. One ob­ REFERENCES vious question to be addressed is how we can Alegado D 1994/mmigrant Youths From the Philip­ pines: Embedded ldentiliesin Hawllils l..lrbBn Com­ reduce the rift between local-born Asians and munity Contexts December paper presented at our immigrant/refugee cousins. First World Congress on Indigenous Filipino Psy­ Oakland Chinatown's Suey Sing boys chology and Culture. did not come into existence as a gang because Allard WA 1975 Chinatown, the gilded ghetto National Geographic November of their association with San Francisco China­ Auman A, GY Mark 1997 From 'heathen Chinee' to town gang members nor due to the Oakland 'model minority': the portrayal of Chinese Ameri­ Suey Sing Tong. Before their reauitment into cans in the U.S. news media. In U.S. News Cover­ Oakland Suey Sing, they already functioned age of RBCial Minorities: A Sourcebook, 1934 to P18sentWestport, CT: Greenwood Press as a gang. However, they were acknowledged Bresler F 1981 The Chinese Mafia NY: Stein and Day as a gang only after they became affiliated with Chin K 1990 Chinese Subculture and Criminality: Suey Sing Tong and the nature of their activi­ NontrtdtionaJ Crime Groc.ps in America Westport, ties were in fact influenced by the San Fran­ CT: Greenwood Press ChinK,JFagan1994Socialorderandgangformation cisco Tom Tom gang. In other urban centers, in Chinatown Advances in Criminological Theory6 the pattern of gang members in one city creat­ 216-251 ing or influencing the development of a new ChinK, J Fagan, R Kelly 1992 Patterns of Chinese gang in another has been a major factor in gang extortion Justice Qrtly9 62~ city ChowWT 1976 Oakland Chinatown: theydynarnics of the spread of Chinatown gangs in the United inner city adjustment China GeographerSpring States. This phenomena requires additional Gong YE, B Grant 1930 Tong WarlNY: NL Brown study not only for Chinese gangs but other Homma-True R 1976 Characteristics of contrasting Asian gangs in the United States. Chinatowns Social CUeworlcMarch 155-159 Joe KA 1993 Getting into the gang: methodological The Asian gang literature does make issues in studying ethnicqanps DrugAbuse Among linkages (Chin 1990) and non-linkages (Joe :::J~J~sandRecent 1994) with the tongs and Triads. What I dis­ cuss in this study that requires further research 1994a Myths and realities of Asian gangs on thiWest Coast Humanity and Society 18 3-18 is the links to other community organizations 1994b The new criminal conspiracy? Asian such as those of the Suey Sing boys to the East -ga=ngs""- and organized em. in San FranciscoJ Res Bay Chinese Youth Council. For the Suey Sing Crime De/inQuency31 390-415 boys, the gang's development and also Kwong P 1987 TheNttwChinatownNY: HiH and Wang its Lai HM, PP Choy 1972 OutHne History ofthe Chinese demise were influenced by a variety of compo­ in Amenea San Francisco: Chinese Historical So­ nents of the Chinese community. Future gang ciety ofAmerica studies need to address these important is­ Lyman SM 1970 The Asian in the West Reno & Las sues of gang/social structure relations. An­ Vegas: Western Studies Center and Desert Re­ search Institute other topic for examination is: can self help Mark GY 1989Gambling in Oakland Chinatown: a case community-based organizations positively im­ of constructive crime. In Frontiers ofAsian Ameri­ pact the nature of a gang, gang membership, can Studies PuHman, WA: Washington State U Press and violence perpetuated by gang members? Padilla FM 1993 The Gang as an American Enterprise If so, should there be more community pro­ New Brunswick: Rutger U Press grams for our youth? And what should these Patrick J 1973 A GlaSQOW Gang Observed London: programs look like? These questions have Pos~WattorosofCrimesNY: McGraw-Hill significant public policy implications regard­ Revila L 1998 Filipino Americans: issues for identity in ing the control of gangs and related criminal Hawai. ln P8{1dittwang 1996: Legacy and VISion of activities. Hawaii's Filipino Americans Honolulu: SEED and In 1971, Oakland Chinatown had only Center for Southeast Asian Studies, U of Hawaii Rosenthal D 1991 lggy Chinn's last patrol San Fran­ one gang, the Suey Sing boys. This group cisco Examiner Image March 311-321 operated as a gang for approximately five years. The situation in Oakland Chinatown is 38 Volume 30, No. 3, Winter 2003 Free Inqu iry in Creative Sociology

Sung B 19n G8/lf1S in New York's Chinatown NY: ThornpsonJ 1976AieChinatowngangwarsacover­ OepartmentofAsianStudiea,CityCollegeofNew up? San Ftancisco Afagazine February YOlk, monogfiiPhNo. 6 WhJ_IB~~Shet Comer Society Chicago: u Takagi P, A Platt 1978 Behind the gilded ghetto: an analysis of race. clua, and crime In Chinatown woh'T1'r68Thenewyelowperil Esquire December Crime and Social Justice Spring-Summer 2-25 190-199 ThrasherFM 1927 The Gang: A Studyof1,313Gangs in Chicago Chicago: U Chicago Press