Bulletin CHINESE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA | MARCH APRIL 2006 | VOL. 42, NO. 2 James Leong Mar/Apr Confronting My Roots 2006 APRIL 18 - AUGUST 20, 2006 CALENDAR OF CHSA CHSA FRANK H. YICK GALLERY EVENTS & EXHIBITS n 1956, artist James Leong March 30 Talk Story set sail for Norway, never to Family Panel I Artist Flo Oy I Wong discusses her family-orient- live again in his native San ed installation with her prolific Francisco. His work returns to siblings: writer Li Chinatown in the Keng Wong, poet exhibition James Nellie Wong, jour- Leong: Confronting nalist and author My Roots, opening William Wong, and April 18 at the Lai G. Webster. Chinese Historical CHSA Learning James Leong’s Tiananmen Center, 7 pm, free Society of America to the public. Museum and Learning Center. and feeling stifled by an overstimu- April 2 Chinese American Curated by Irene Poon Andersen, lating Beat-era North Beach art Voices Book Launch Party I Join co- the show features Leong’s most scene, Leong sought opportunities editors Judy Yung, Gordon Chang, recent paintings, which meld his to work and paint elsewhere. and Him Mark Lai in celebrating the guiding theme, nature, with the Following his graduation from the recent publication of Chinese American Voices. See article in issue of Chinese ethnic identity California College of Arts and Bulletin for more information. in America. Crafts, he received a Fulbright Chinese Culture Center, 750 Kearny, James Leong was born in Fellowship to live and study in 3rd Fl., San Francisco, 1 pm, free to 1929 in San Francisco Chinatown. Norway. After decades in Europe, the public. His work as reporter and ad spent working out of a studio at the salesman for the Chinese Press American Academy in Rome and April 4 Earthquake: The put him on the radar of dealing with mostly “Eurocentric” Chinatown Story I Opening day of Chinatown businessmen, who imagery, Leong began to grapple the exhibition, Earthquake: The Chinatown Story. Philip P. Choy commissioned him to paint a with the impact of the 1989 Gallery, CHSA. mural for the newly built Ping Tiananmen Square student uprising Yuen Housing Projects. The - and his dormant Chinese April 18 James Leong: Then mural, which now hangs at American identity. Leong returned and Now I Opening day of the exhi- CHSA, was met with stiff criticism to the United States and settled in bition, James Leong: Then and Now. by the community for its depic- Seattle in 1991, where he continues Frank H. Yick Gallery, CHSA. tion of the history of Chinese in to work. All CHSA events are America. Hurt by this backlash CONTINUED ON PAGE 8 free to members, except as noted. See SINCE THE QUAKE calendar inside this issue for a listing of all 1906 Earthquake For more info, call (415) 391- Centennial events. And look out for a special 1906 Earthquake Centennial 1188 or visit www.chsa.org. edition of CHSA’s Bulletin in early April, with essays about the Great Quake and Fire and more extensive information about our exhibition, programs, and activities. CHINESE Chinese New Year Parade HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA BOARD OFFICERS Calvin Fung, President Robert Fung, 1st Vice President Anna Naruta, Ph.D., 2nd Vice President Willard Chin, Secretary Paul Fong, Treasurer BOARD DIRECTORS Irene Poon Andersen Donald Chan Joyce M. Chan Linda A. Cheu CHSA congratulates community partners Chinatown Beacon Center Colleen Fong, Ph.D. (CBC) and Community Educational Services (CES) on being judged Frank Jang the “Best Community Organization Float” in San Francisco’s 2006 Agnes Lam Chinese New Year Parade. Catherine S. Lam Alexander Lock CHSA IS GRATEFUL FOR THE SUPPORT OF THE FOLLOWING Kenneth Louie SAN FRANCISCO RISING! SPONSORS: Galin Luk William G. Roop Connie Young Yu SAN FRANCISCO RISING TITLE SPONSORS: BOARD EMERITI Him Mark Lai Philip P. Choy FOUNDERS SHAKE SPONSORS ($25,000) Thomas W. Chinn C.H. Kwock Chingwah Lee H.K. Wong Thomas W.S. Wu, D.D.S. RATTLE SPONSORS ($10,000) Judy Flood Wilbur & Brayton Wilbur STAFF May & Sinclair Louie & Betty Louie Sue Lee, Executive Director Ruth Chan, Collections Manager Charlie Chin, Artist in Residence ROLL SPONSORS ($5,000) Marisa Louie, Exhibitions Coordinator Cheryl A. Fama, President/CEO Saint Francis Memorial Hospital Russell Ow, Accountant AGI Capital Group, Inc. Leonard Shek, Program Coordinator Ray & Dagmar Dolby Family Fund Candace Tom, Operations Administrator Quakefinder, LLC Ivy Wong, Weekend Supervisor Maura & Robert Morey Jeffery P. Woo, Esq., Legal Counsel Jerome and Thao Dodson CHSA BULLETIN n PAGE 2 Chinese American Voices: Chinese From the Gold Rush to the Present American BOOK LAUNCH PARTY | SUNDAY, APRIL 2, 2006, 1 PM Migraton History Tour HSA will once again join Railroad C the Asian American builder Chin Studies Department at San Gee Hee at Francisco State University for the work in Seattle, WA next Chinese American Migration (Courtesy of History Tour, tentatively scheduled University of for December 27, 2006 to January Washington Libraries). 13, 2007. The tour will trace Chinese America trans-Pacific cul- he Chinese Culture for the first time. They bring to life tural and ancestral heritage. T Foundation of San Francisco, the diverse voices of immigrants Participants will travel on the origi- Chinese Historical Society of and the American-born; laborers, nal migratory path of the America, and University of merchants, and professionals; min- Cantonese people, from Meiling California Press will host a book isters and students; housewives Pass (Tang dynasty) and Nanxiong party to celebrate the publication and prostitutes; and community Zhujixiang Settlement (Song of Chinese American Voices: From leaders and activists. Chinese dynasty) in northern Guangdong, to the Gold Rush to the Present, co- American Voices is published by the historical sites relevant to edited by Judy Yung, Gordon H. University of California Press Cantonese migration and Chinese Chang, and Him Mark Lai, at the (www.ucpress.edu/books/pages/103 American history. If time permits, Chinese Culture Center (750 06.html). tour participants are taken to their Kearny, 3rd Floor, San Francisco Judy Yung is Professor Emerita ancestral homes/villages in the Chinatown.) A program introducing of American Studies at the Pearl River Delta. Co-leaders the book and its contributors will University of California, Santa Cruz, Professors Marlon Hom and begin at 2 pm. Light refreshments and author of Unbound Feet: A Social Lorraine Dong will provide onsite will be served. History of Chinese Women in San lectures. Among the places tenta- Fifteen years in the making, Francisco; Gordon H. Chang is tively scheduled for the tour are: Chinese American Voices is a diverse Professor of History at Stanford • Representative Chinese and illuminating collection of pri- University and author of Morning American homes/villages and mary documents and stories by Glory, Evening Shadow: Yamoto their unique gun towers Chinese Americans from their Ichihashi and His Internment Writings, • Various overseas Chinese muse- arrival during the California gold 1942-1945; and Him Mark Lai is ums: Hong Kong History rush to the present. Many of the past president of CHSA and author Museum, Macau History letters, speeches, testimonies, oral of Becoming Chinese American: A Museum, Nanxiong Museum, histories, personal memoirs, History of Communities and Institutions. Jiangmen Overseas Chinese poems, essays, and folksongs have For more information or to for Museum, and Taishan Museum never been published before or advance book reservations, call CONTINUED ON PAGE 8 have been translated into English CHSA at (415) 391-1188 ext 101. j Gum San Shakes APRIL 8, 1-3 PM | HISTORY PARK IN KELLEY PARK, 1650 SENTER ROAD, SAN JOSE lecture by Chinatown, San Jose, USA author and historian Connie Young Yu commemorating the A 100th anniversary of the 1906 Earthquake and the impact on Chinese American communities from San Francisco to Monterey. For more information call (408) 268-2180 or email [email protected]. j MARCH/APRIL 2006 n PAGE 3 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2006 AT THE CHINESE Southern Fried HISTORICAL SOCIETY Rice author John Jung signs OF AMERICA a book for CHSA member PHOTOS BY FRANK JANG Ernest Chann. Reception for Dragons, Drums, Firecrackers and Floats: A Chinese American Tradition. Above, CHSA Board Member Connie Young Yu admires the parade exhibit. Artist Flo Oy Wong talks about her father’s portrait with her grandson, Ben Halperin. Photographer and past CHSA exhibitor Benjamen Chinn with Flo Oy Wong. CHSA BULLETIN n PAGE 4 CHSA ANNUAL CHSA volunteers Sylvia Joe Louie and Mamie Moy at the check-in table. MEETING & VOLUNTEER RECOGNITION LUNCHEON JANUARY 21 EMPRESS OF CHINA RESTAURANT PHOTOS BY FRANK JANG 2006 CHSA Spirit Award recipient Lorraine Dong with daughter Laureen and husband Marlon Hom. Below, in her acceptance speech, Lorraine honors the volunteers who worked alongside her. Philip Choy recognizes his grandson Michael Choy’s Eagle Scout project work improving CHSA collections storage space with a certificate at the luncheon. Above, 2006 CHSA Spirit Award recipient and past Charlie Chin CHSA President performs as Lorraine Dong earthquake with outgoing 2005 survivor CHSA President Hugh Liang Willard Chin. in a preview of the Left, longtime original CHSA members performance Emma Woo Louie “Chinatown and Paul Louie is Burning!” enjoy Charlie Chin’s “Chinatown is Burning!” MARCH/APRIL 2006 n PAGE 5 Since the Quake PREVIEW CALENDAR OF1906 EARTHQUAKE CENTENNIAL EVENTS & PROGRAMS n 1906, Chinatown was a bustling, diverse center of activity in the heart of San Francisco. On IWednesday, April 18, at 5:12 am, the City experienced the worst natural disaster in U.S. history—the 1906 Great Earthquake and Fire. The Chinese Historical Society of America invites you to commemorate the century Since the Quake as we celebrate the rebirth of San Francisco Chinatown. Discover more about the event that changed and galvanized the future of Chinese Americans in the United States.