Bulletin Chinese Historical Society of America September/October 2005 Vol. 41, No. 5 Making History: Our Grand Historians Philip P. Choy and Him Mark Lai n Friday, October 7, 2005, O CHSA will celebrate the birthdays of historians Philip P. Choy and Him Mark Lai at the Conference Dinner Banquet at the Empress of China. These two individuals, whose decades of HIM PHILIP P. MARK CHOY tireless work helped to build LAI Chinese American Studies as we know it today, have become These two individuals, respected figures in fields as whose decades of tireless diverse as transnational history, work helped to build CHINESE AMERICAN historic preservation, and ethnic STUDIES CONFERENCE studies. Between the thirty-six Chinese American Studies as we know it today, have PRESENTED BY CHSA AND ASIAN years of teaching the first univer- AMERICAN STUDIES DEPARTMENT sity-level Chinese American histo- become respected figures AT SF STATE UNIVERSITY ry course to presenting at in fields as diverse as Branching Out Branching Out the Banyan Tree, transnational history, the Banyan Tree: A Changing Choy and Lai are indeed two who historic preservation, and Chinese America have made—and continue to ethnic studies. OCT 6-9, 2005 make—history. RADISSON MIYAKO HOTEL years. Upon his return, Phil Pre-Registration PHILIP P. CHOY attended UC Berkeley on the GI EXTENDED to Sept. 19 Born in San Francisco China- Bill. Graduating with a degree in Pre-registration for CHSA town in 1926, Philip P. Choy grew architecture, he would continue members is only $70, and includes up in a family of five children. His to work in residential and com- admission to all conference father, a paper son, was part mercial design for fifty years. sessions, pre-registration owner of a meat market on Grant reception, and keynote luncheon. As president of the Chinese Registration info and forms online. Avenue; his mother, American- Historical Society of America dur- born though raised in China, ing the Civil Rights movement, VISIT WWW.CHSA.ORG worked in a sewing factory. Phil sensed a growing interest Reserve your place at CHSA’s After attending San Francisco and demand for Chinese American public schools and Chinese history in schools and universi- school, Phil enlisted in the Army ties. His opportunity came in Making History Air Corps during World War II. 1969, when he and fellow CHSA Dinner Banquet on October 7! While in basic training in Biloxi, member Him Mark Lai co-taught Tickets are $80 each. Sponsor our Mississippi, he witnessed segre- the first Chinese American Studies special Longevity Tables for $999. gation in its extremity, which was course in the nation at San Please email [email protected] or to motivate his activities in later Francisco State University. call (415) 391-1188 ext. 105. CONTINUED ON PAGE 4 CHINESE Introducing New Board HISTORICAL Member Galin Luk SOCIETY OF AMERICA alin Luk is proud to join Law Student Association. After G the Board of the Chinese law school, Galin attained the BOARD OFFICERS Historical Society of America. rank of Captain serving in the U.S. Willard Chin, President Born and raised in San Francisco. Marine Corps as a Judge Philip P. Choy, 1st Vice President Galin attended San Francisco Advocate. In the Marine Corps, he Donald Chan, 2nd Vice President State University where he earned litigated trials as the Chief Russell Jeung, Ph.D., Secretary a B.A. and minored in Asian District Attorney and as the Frank Jang, Treasurer American Studies. While at SFSU, Senior Public Defender for Marine he presented at the 50th Corps Air Station, New River. BOARD DIRECTORS Anniversary Repeal of the Chinese Galin now specializes in com- Irene Poon Andersen Exclusion Act and volunteered his mercial, maritime and admiralty Donald Chan time cataloging the Daniel K.E. litigation with the law firm of Cox, Joyce Chan Ching Collection. Wootton, Griffin, Hansen and Willard Chin Galin earned his law degree Poulos, LLP. He volunteers his Philip P. Choy from the University of California time with local law schools and Colleen Fong, Ph.D. at Davis. While at Davis, he was the Asian American Bar Paul Fong an active member of the Asian Association Mentor program. j Frank Jang Russell Jeung Jeannie Woo Bids Farewell Him Mark Lai research and obtaining my doc- Agnes Lam torate at U.C. Davis. Catherine S. Lam It has been a pleasure work- Alexander Lock ing with this organization and Kenneth Louie getting to know all the donors, Galin Luk long time members, and histori- Anna Naruta cal groups dedicated to the same William G. Roop ear Staff, Board, and cause. From my work at CHSA, I CHSA Members, have learned about community FOUNDERS D Thomas W. Chinn Almost ten years has passed service, dedication and determi- nation from the long time mem- C.H. Kwock since I began working with the bers who have given of their time Chingwah Lee Society first as a student volun- teer transitioned to staff at 650 and labor, and perseverance in H.K. Wong Commercial Street, then as a the face of adversity. With these Thomas W.S. Wu, D.D.S. board member, and finally as the tools on hand, I take them with STAFF Collections and Exhibitions me in my move to academia. Sue Lee, Executive Director Manager on Clay Street. With this May the Society continue on Marisa Louie, Program Assistant long association with CHSA it is its path toward preserving and Russell Ow, Operations Administrator with a touch of sadness that I let researching Chinese American Leonard Shek, Program Coordinator everyone know that I will no history while fulfilling the mission Ivy Wong, Weekend Supervisor longer be with CHSA as of August it set out for itself 42 years ago. Maggie Yan, Reading Room 19, 2005. My work at the Society Thank you again for the ongoing Coordinator continuously fueled my interest in support of my work at CHSA and your encouragement of my own Jeffery P. Woo, Esq., Legal Counsel Chinese American history and beginning September 2005, I will personal goal. be continuing my academic With best wishes, Jeannie Woo CHSA BULLETIN n PAGE 2 Pandering to Sinophobia: Remembering The Chinese Question in Political Cartoons C.C. Wang Exhibition Reception Cartoon by G.F. Keller, published in the The Wasp, c 1870s. collection of 19th Acentury political cartoons found in popular press and regional newspa- pers, CHSA’s newest exhibition, Pandering to Sinophobia, chronicles mounting national conflicts between politics, labor, and immigration that would lead to anti-Chinese violence and legislation. Curator Adam Mikos (l) and Political cartoons, drawings that make satirical comments on guest speaker Arnold Chang with a landscape by C.C. Wang. political and socio-economic issues of the day, exaggerate features in humorous and often outrageous ways. In the pages of publications HSA paid tribute to the nationwide, images of the Chinese turned from benign to malicious C late artist and collector as anti-Chinese sentiment intensified. C.C. Wang at the opening recep- “In the second half of the 19th century, one major political contro- tion for its new exhibition, versy was the objection of the coming of the Chinese to America,” Remembering C.C. Wang, on says Philip Choy, the exhibition’s curator. “This issue was exploited by August 18, 2005. the press, who caricatured the Chinese as physically different and as With guests from the Asian culturally inferior.” Art Museum and the Chinese For Americans, who mostly had little exposure to Chinese living in Culture Center, CHSA welcomed the U.S., these cartoons influenced public opinion. The cartoonists’ New York artist Arnold Chang, artistic licenses and cultural misconceptions would become the basis who wrote a brief essay for the for prevalent stereotypes of the Chinese. In the images on display in exhibition catalogue (available at the exhibition, viewers can grasp the hostility and tensions of this era, the CHSA bookstore.) Chang revealing the heatedly racist environment of the 19th century. talked about his long association Pandering to Sinophobia will be open through January 15, 2006 in with Wang, his mentor and the Philip P. Choy Gallery. j Chinese brush painting & calligra- phy teacher. He also related Fall 2005 Educational Wang’s immigrant experience to Programs Preview that of other Chinese immigrants, CHSA will collaborate with Marvelous past and present, and explained Stories, Wonderful Tales! storyteller Charlie how Wang’s artistic work connect- Chin for its Fall 2005 K-12 educational program- ed him with both countries. ming. Charlie, a New York City-bred musician, Remembering C.C. Wang will performer, and historian, has lived in the S.F. be open in the Frank H. Yick Bay Area for the past ten years. Gallery through December 19, Charlie will continue this summer’s success- 2005. C.C. Wang will also be a ful storytelling program and inject living person- topic of discussion in the panel ages into programs for older students. To “What is Chinese American Art?” schedule a group or class for a visit to CHSA, at Branching Out the Banyan please contact Program Coordinator Leonard Shek at [email protected], Tree, the October Chinese (415) 391-1188 ext. 107. j American Studies conference. j SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2005 n PAGE 3 Making History: Our Grand Historians CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Though no longer actively teach- which was active in the cultural ing, Phil holds the title of Adjunct sector promoting better under- Professor of Asian American standing of the People’s Republic Studies at SFSU. of China. In 1960, after having With his background in archi- Chinn and Him Mark Lai). Phil taken Stanford Lyman’s pioneer- tecture, Phil has had a strong has served as consultant and ing Asian American studies presence in historic preservation, advisor for many projects, exhibi- course through UC Berkeley serving on the San Francisco tions, and media presentations extension, Him Mark began his Landmark Advisory Board and the on the Chinese American experi- journey as a scholar in Chinese California State Historical ence.