The Bancroft Library Guide to the Chinese in California Virtual Collection, 1850-1925 ark:/13030/kt5p3019m2 Guide to the Chinese in California Virtual Collection, 1850-1925 Collection number: Various The Bancroft Library University of California, Berkeley Berkeley, CA 94720-6000 Phone: (510) 642-6481 Fax: (510) 642-7589 Email: [email protected] URL: http://bancroft.berkeley.edu/ Finding Aid Author(s): Processed by Bancroft Library Staff Finding Aid Encoded By: GenX © 2009 The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved. Collection Summary Title: The Chinese in California Date (): 1850-1925 Collection Number: Various Physical Description: 2710 digital library objects (5349 items) Creator/Collector: The Bancroft Library. University of California, BerkeleyBerkeley, CA 94720-6000Phone: (510) 642-6481Fax: (510) 642-7589Email: [email protected]: http://bancroft.berkeley.edu/ Abstract: The Chinese in California, 1850-1925 illustrates nineteenth and early twentieth century Chinese immigration to California through about 8,000 images and pages of primary source materials. Included are photographs, original art, cartoons and other illustrations; letters, excerpts from diaries, business records, and legal documents; as well as pamphlets, broadsides, speeches, sheet music, and other printed matter. These documents describe the experiences of Chinese immigrants in California, including the nature of inter-ethnic tensions. They also document the specific contributions of Chinese immigrants to commerce and business, architecture and art, agriculture and other industries, and cultural and social life in California. Chinatown in San Francisco receives special treatment as the oldest and largest community of Chinese in the United States. Also included is documentation of smaller Chinese communities throughout California, as well as material reflecting on the experiences of individuals. Although necessarily selective, such a large body of materials presents a full spectrum of representation and opinion. The materials in this online compilation are drawn from collections at The Bancroft Library, University of California Berkeley; The Ethnic Studies Library, University of California Berkeley; and The California Historical Society, San Francisco. Language of Material: Collection materials are in English Information for Researchers Access Restricted originals. Viewing prints available for most items. Access procedures and restrictions vary by repository. In most cases advance notice or an appointment is required for use. For more information contact the institution directly. Publication Rights The Bancroft Library, The Ethnic Studies Library, and The California Historical Society are not aware of any U.S. copyright or any other restrictions on the original materials digitized for this online collection, The Chinese in California, 1850-1925. However, some of the content may be protected by the U.S. Copyright Law (title 17, USC) and/or by the copyright or neighboring rights laws of other nations. Additionally, the reproduction of some materials may be restricted by privacy or publicity rights. Responsibility for making an Chinese in California Collection number: Various 1 independent legal assessment of an item and securing any necessary permissions ultimately rests with persons desiring to reproduce or use the item. The owning institutions encourage use of these materials under the fair use clause of the 1976 copyright act. For the purposes of research, teaching, and private study, you may reproduce (print, make photocopies, or download) materials from this collection without prior permission of the owning institution, on the condition that proper attribution of the source is provided in all copies. Sample credit lines: The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley. [call number, e.g. BANC PIC 1996.001--ALB] The Ethnic Studies Library, University of California, Berkeley. [call number, e.g. AAS ARC 2000/15: fol. 16: book 1] California Historical Society, San Francisco. [call number, e.g. CO-Placer: Auburn: FN-34385] For other uses of materials from the The Chinese in California, 1850-1925 collection, (e.g., commercial products, publication, broadcast, and other reproductions not considered "fair use"), requests for permission must be submitted in writing. Permission for publication or other use is given on behalf of each institution as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained. Contact the owning institution, identified in the "Repository" field of the description of the item, at the address provided below: For permission to use materials from The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley Head of Access ServicesThe Bancroft LibraryUniversity of CaliforniaBerkeley, CA 94720-6000 http:// bancroft.berkeley.edu/reference/dsu For permission to use materials from The Ethnic Studies Library, University of California, Berkeley Asian American Collections LibrarianThe Ethnic Studies LibraryUniversity of CaliforniaBerkeley, CA 94720(510) 643-1234For permission to use materials from the California Historical Society, San Francisco Director of Research CollectionsNorth Baker Research LibraryCalifornia Historical Society678 Mission StreetSan Francisco, CA 94105 http://www.californiahistoricalsociety.org/collections/ Higher quality reproductions are available from the owning institutions. Preferred Citation [Identification of item], The Chinese in California, Various, The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley Administrative Information Processed by Bancroft staff. Chinese in California Collection number: Various 2 Scope and Content The Chinese in California 1850-1925 is a compilation of selected holdings from collections housed in the archives and special collections of The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley; The Ethnic Studies Library, University of California, Berkeley; and the California Historical Society, San Francisco. Presenting approximately 8000 images, this virtual archive makes accessible material related to the history of the Chinese people in California between 1850 and 1925. The materials were selected to illustrate broad topical themes: Chinese and Westward Expansion San Francisco's Chinatown Architectural Space Business and Politics Community Outsiders Looking In Chinese/Chinese-American Communities Agriculture, Fishing, and Related Industries Anti-Chinese Movement and Chinese Exclusion Sentiment Concerning the Chinese: Illustrations from Periodicals The materials selected are drawn from a variety of archival collections, compiled by institutions and libraries with varying missions. Many of the collections have distinctive histories of their own. In some cases entire collections have been included; more often a selection of materials relating to the Chinese in California has been selected from a collection with broader scope. It is our hope that The Chinese in California presents a balanced perspective on a tumultuous and changing history of this community in California. Major issues explored in these records include the Chinese contribution to California and the American West in the 19th and early 20th centuries; the rampant anti-Chinese sentiment encountered by these immigrants, eventually leading to the federal Chinese Exclusion Act of 1892 (repealed in 1943); and settlement and development in various communities, including San Francisco's Chinatown, which remains the largest Chinatown in the United States. The materials presented in The Chinese in California are only a small part of the wealth of historical and archival materials documenting this topic at participating institutions. Users should note the source of the materials found on this site and contact the holding libraries or archives for further information. Container Listing Chinese and Westward Expansion Scope/Content: Content/DescriptionWhile the west coast of North America was known to the Chinese, in particular those working as sailors, before the Gold Rush, our story begins in 1850, as the documentation from the Gold Rush provides the starting point with which to build a more substantial narrative. Most Chinese immigrants entered California through the port of San Francisco. From San Francisco and other ports, many sought their fortunes in other parts of California. The Chinese formed part of the diverse gathering of peoples from throughout the world who contributed to the economic and population explosion that characterized the early history of the state of California. The Chinese who emigrated to the United States at this time were part of a larger exodus from southeast China searching for better economic opportunities and fleeing a situation of political corruption and decline. Most immigrants came from the Pearl River Delta in Guangdong (Canton) Province.Chinese immigrants proved to be productive and resourceful contributors to a multitude of industries and businesses. The initial group of Chinese argonauts sought their livelihood in the gold mines, calling California Gam Saan or Gold Mountain. For the mining industry, they built many of the flumes and roads, allowing for easier access and processing of the minerals being extracted. Chinese immigrants faced discrimination immediately upon arrival in California. In mining, they were forced to work older claims, or to work for others. In the 1850s, the United States Constitution reserved the right of naturalization for white immigrants