CHINESE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA | SUMMER 2010 | VOL. 46, NO. 1 A Lost & Found Discovery: The Jake Lee Heritage Paintings Lion Dance, San Francisco Chinatown by Jake Lee 010 has been a great & exciting the 1888 champion Chinese fire-hose 2year for the Chinese Historical team of Deadwood, South Dakota. Upcoming Events Society of America as we have recov- For many years, these stunning SATURDAY, AUGUST 7, 2010 at ered a significant piece of our history paintings hung in the private Gum 1:30-4 pm at Fort Mason Center, through 8 long-lost paintings! Shan d i n i n g r o o m o f K a n ’s R e s t au r a n t . San Francisco It all started the Friday before After Johnny Kan’s death in 1972, Angel Island: Immigrant Gateway Presidents’ Day Weekend when the restaurant changed hands, and Book Launch with Authors Erica we received a message that eleven the paintings soon disappeared in Lee & Judy Yung paintings would be at auction in Los subsequent years. TUESDAY, AUGUST 10, 2010 at Angeles the following Tuesday. These Once we confirmed that these were 5:30 pm at CHSA turned out to be the famous Jake in fact Jake Lee’s paintings up for auc- Water Ghosts Book Reading with Lee paintings that the restaurateur tion, we flew to LA to bid on—and Author Shawna Yang Ryan Johnny Kan commissioned for his won—seven of the eleven paintings! landmark Kan’s Restaurant in the The four remaining Jake Lee paint- SATURDAY, AUGUST 14, 2010 early 1960s. ings were purchased by a Southern at 1 pm at CHSA Each of these visually stunning California collector who has since “Angel Voices” DANCE & POETRY pieces showcases specific aspects and expressed his willingness to be an with Poet/Playwright Genny Lim & milestones in early Chinese American exhibit partner. Dancer Lenora Lee history. The collection includes scenes Then, a day after the auction, we 11 am “The Architecture of San of San Francisco’s Chinatown, rail- learned of the location of the miss- Francisco’s Chinatown” WALKING road-building at Cape Horn, Sonoma ing 12th painting and retrieved it. TOUR by Executive Director Sue Lee wine country, cigar & lantern mak- So within a span of one week, we ing in San Francisco factories, and CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 CHINESE HISTORICAL WANTED: Museum & Walking SOCIETY OF AMERICA BOARD OF DIRECTORS Tour Docents, please apply Paul Fong, President Connie Young Yu, 1st Vice President Doug Chan, Esq., 2nd Vice president Linda Cheu, Treasurer Elsie Lam, Secretary Steve Adams Cedric Cheng Barre Fong Cindy Hu Sandy Lee Ty Lim Russell Leong Paul Tsang Alisa Yee Photo by Don Cheu Brian Yee HSA Artist-in-Residence Charlie enthusiastic about—CHSA Museum’s CChin will offer a three session efforts to inform the general pub- Jeffrey P. Woo, Legal Counsel workshop that will provide train- lic about the history of the Chinese ing for effective CHSA Museum American Community. BOARD EMERITI Docents. The workshop session will be Him Mark Lai (deceased) Workshop topics will include The Saturdays: July 31, August 7 & 14 Philip P. Choy History of Chinatown, San Francisco from 10 am-1 pm at CHSA, 965 Clay and the Basics of Public Speaking. St. Please contact Pam Wong at FOUNDERS This workshop is open to youth and [email protected] to sign up or for Thomas W. Chinn adults who wish to support—and are more information. C.H. Kwock Jake Lee Paintings Found Chingwah lee CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2 H.K. Wong recovered 8 of the 12 long-lost Jake Lee paintings! Kan Thomas W.S. Wu, DDS As a steward of the Chinese RECOllectIONS American community narrative, STAFF the Chinese Historical Society of o you have memories or Sue Lee, Executive Director America is extremely proud to have memorabilia from visits to brought these spectacular paintings D Judy Hu, Communications Director Kan’s Restaurant? Ever enjoy back to San Francisco as part of our the cocktail of Almond Eye, or Lenora Lee, Operations Manager collection. spot a celebrity (à la Marilyn The paintings have many stories Michelle Louie, Administrative Monroe and Joe DiMaggio) at Executive to tell, and their potential for exhi- the bar? bition programming is enormous. As Pam Wong, Programs Coordinator we re-introduce them to local audi- Please share your experience Charlie Chin, Artist-in-Residence ences, we know that a much broader with us! Send to Judy Hu at audience will be inspired by them as Francis Wong, Special Projects CHSA, 965 Clay Street, San well. Please stay tuned for exciting Manager Francisco, CA 94108 developments in regards to the Jake Lee Paintings! Summer 2010 Page 2 OPENING & UNVEILING: Second Saturdays are a hit 010 is a year of new openings! tutionalized, along with its insidious Second Saturday on July 10th also 2Beginning this year, CHSA is effect on American consciousness proved to be very popular. once again opening its museum doors long afterwards. Continuing into the summer, every Saturday from 11 am to 4 pm. Yu discussed how anti-Asian poli- August 14th will feature at 1 pm Every Second Saturday of the month, cies became so entrenched that its “Angel Voices” music, poetry, & dance the museum will also feature special injustices and inhumanity were with Poet/Playwright Genny Lim & programming followed by historical hidden in history. But as Yu points Dancer Lenora Lee. “The Architecture walking tours conducted by Artist-in- out, it was people’s activism—from of San Francisco’s Chinatown” Residence Charlie Chin or Executive detainees writing on the walls of the Walking Tour by Executive Director Director Sue Lee. Angel Island barracks to community Sue Lee will precede the performances The Year of the Tiger roared in with protests—that have kept America at 11 am. the grand opening of the new exhibit from forgetting. A portion of the program will fea- “The Architecture of San Francisco’s Yu also discussed her new book, ture “Passages,” the new interdisci- Chinatown” on Saturday, March 6. Patchwork History: The People’s plinary collaborative work between In April, CHSA commemorated the Bicentennial Quilt, which illustrates choreographer/dancer Lenora Lee, anniversary of the April 18, 1906 how Chinese labor on the railroad, media designer Olivia Ting, and com- Earthquake with Artist-in-Residence immigration exclusion, and concen- poser Francis Wong. It is in homage Charlie Chin presenting History tration camps during World War II to Lee’s maternal grandmother, Lee Alive! Hugh Liang: Eyewitness to the are among the “patches” stitched Ping To, who immigrated through 1906 Earthquake & Fire on the Second back into American history, are. the Angel Island Immigration Station Saturday. Following Yu’s successful book in 1940, the year that the Station was Subsequently on May 8th, to com- reading was a record-breaking atten- closed. memorate the anniversary of the dance for a Second Saturday on All presentations on Second May 6, 1882 passage of the Chinese June 12th for the “At Liberty’s Door” Saturdays are free with paid Exclusion Act, CHSA Board Vice exhibit opening, along with a screen- museum admission ($3 for the President Connie Young Yu pre- ing of Freida Lee Mock’s film “Jung general public, free for mem- sented a special program entitled Sai.” A successive screening of the bers) while walking tours are Patchwork History about how the documentary “Carved in Silence” $10 for members, $15 for the Chinese Exclusion Act became insti- with Filmmaker Felicia Lowe for general public. Public Art Proposals for the Chinese Recreation Center on View at CHSA July 21- August 4, 2010 ll members of the public are Ainvited to view the proposals for new public artwork at the New Chinese Recreation Center and pro- vide feedback. These proposals will be on view at CHSA from July 21–August 4, 2010. Three artists/artist teams—Colette Crutcher, Liang Liqing, and Margarita Soyfertis and Vadim Goretsky—were selected by the Chinese Recreation Center Artist Selection Panel (con- vened by the SF Arts Commission) Courtesy of SFAC to create public art proposals for the for viewing during CHSA’s normal sion.org/pubartcollection/ (see the exterior of the new Center. A com- business hours of Tuesday–Friday link under the “Public Meetings” ment book will be located onsite for from 12 noon–5 pm & Saturdays 11 section). Please email comments to visitors to sign. am–4 pm. Proposals are also avail- Eleanor Beaton at eleanor.beaton@ Artist proposals will be available able online at www.sfartscommis- sfgov.org by August 6 at 12 noon. Summer 2010 Page 3 Detained at Liberty’s Door Chinese Historical Society of America 965 Clay Street, San Francisco “Detained at Liberty’s Door” traces the formation of the Angel Island Immigration Station and highlights the inspiring story of Mrs. Lee Yoke Suey, the wife of a native-born citizen, who was detained for more than fifteen months on Angel Island. Only an association with one of California’s most powerful and iconic families secured her freedom. Passages Dance Mission Theatre The Architecture of 3316 24th Street, San Francisco September 24, 25, & 26 San Francisco’s Chinatown “Passages” is the new interdisciplinary collaborative Chinese Historical Society of America work between choreographer/dancer Lenora Lee, 965 Clay Street, San Francisco media designer Olivia Ting, and composer Francis Wong. Celebrated poet, playwright, and performer The striking architecture of Chinatown is explored Genny Lim will join in the program with a special from its beginnings in the mid-19th century through reading in our commemoration of the Centennial of the rebuilding following the Great Earthquake & Fire the Angel Island Immigration Station.