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Type of bind: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 979.466
EAN num: 9780738529257
ISBN number: 0738529257
Label: Arcadia Publishing
Manufacturer: Arcadia Publishing
Quantity: 1
Page Count: 128
Printing Date: October 25, 2004
Publishing house: Arcadia Publishing
Release Date: October 20, 2004
Sale Popularity Level: 709038
Studio: Arcadia Publishing
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Oakland’s Chinatown has a history every bit as compelling as its more famous neighbor across San Francisco Bay. Chinese have been a presence in Oakland since the 1850s, bringing with them a rich and complex tradition that survived legalized discrimination that lingered until the 1950s. Once confined to a small area of downtown where restaurants stir-fried, laundries steamed, and vegetable stands crowded the sidewalks, Chinese gradually moved out into every area of Oakland, and the stands evolved into corner groceries that cemented entire neighborhoods. Chinese helped Oakland grow into a modern business and cultural center and have gained prominence in every aspect of the city’s commerce, politics, and arts.
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Rated by buyers -
Oakland's Chinatown is a beautiful photo album edited by William Wong, a native son. It is a memory lane journey back to the 150 years in this East Bay town. The book started with a comprehensive introduction on the development, movement and evolution followed by six chapters of different topics.
Chapter 1 started with a drawing about mid 1800s a primitive hut Chinatown located what is now West Oakland. Three postcards in typical cowboy western fibre two-storey buildings followed it. There was a picture about the San Francisco Chinese refugees relocated in camps in Oakland after 1906 Earthquake. The subsequent series eight pictures showed the change in buildings from late 50s to modern 90s. It was interesting to compare the subsequent set of four family pictures from a 1891 dressed in Traditional Chinese, a 1912 with a sharp contrast with male in American clothing while female in Chinese and a 1900s of a family of four all in American. Of significance is the picture on p.18 with the successful industrialist Lew Hing who started a cannery and after SF Earthquake 1906, he helped Chinese refugees in food and shelter. The rest of this chapter ranged from unnamed children to Who's Who in Chinatown.
Chapter 2 chronicled the Chinese heading for Gold Mountain with the working hard ethics ranging from gardener, vegetable sellers, an airplane manufacturer, herbists, medical doctor, laundry men, baker, business owners, architects, pharmacist and garment workers. The collection of pictures included a Japanese American grocery and a Filipino American radio shop.
Chapter 3 showed Oakland Chinatown was the American home for oversea Chinese in periods of bigotry and discrimination. It showed how they supported each other politically and religiously. Of importance is the picture on p.67 on Chinese American Citizens Alliance, a civil right organization established in 1895, San Francisco whose 30 members headed for National Convention in Chicago by train at depot. Oakland Chinatown not only promoted sales of bonds for China in 1928 but also cared for the well-being of local residents in health, politics, and culture. The two pictures on p.88 about Chinese Community Center which Joe Shoog, the founder of National Dollar Stores, supported the construction. The last 9 pictures showed Chinese in American military fighting in WW II with honors. A rare historical picture on top of p.94 showed the dignitaries with Chinese in Navy uniforms at the christening of Sun Yat-sen, a new liberty ship.
Chapter 4 started with a 22-years old Chinese American woman Emma Hoo Tom, being the very first of her race and gender registered to vote in US. The picture on p.97 showed Asian Law Caucus born in Oakland in mid 70s with young lawyers providing legal services to low-incomes. A picture of March Fong Eu was in 1974 won the race for Secretary of State. The rest collection showed different candidates, politicians and activities in American democracy.
Chapter 5 began with Oakland Chinese parade on 1907 Independence Day. Worth mentioning is the picture p.109 about the Wa Sung Athletic Club formed in 1920s. The following pictures showed the different sports that they enjoyed, from sporting cars, canoe, soft ball, base ball, gold, dragon-boat race, tai chi, mah-jong, band to lion dance. This chapter ended with two pictures, one wedding in Buddhist ceremony with traditional bride and groom dresses, while the other in Cantonese opera, famous for colorful costumes, loud music and abstract expressions.
Chapter 6 displayed Oakland Chinatown is the place of couching tigers and hidden dragons where Bruce Lee, martial artist and film star, Dong Kingman, artists, and other poets, photographers, writers, musicians, directors, TV cameramen, dance artist, journalists, and painters. The book ended with the author, a national journalist.
This book is a big community family album for the last 150 years. It documents the evolution of Chinese settlement in Oakland into today's robust Chinatown. The Oakland Chinese were tough minded in finding gold by working hard among prejudice, bias and discrimination. They survived the "Chinese Must Go" hostility. With determination, they established Oakland as home to nurture so many into national prominence. Understanding the history of struggle serves as a strong motivation for many to be active in American politics. William makes this struggle a honorable memory.
Rated by buyers -
This book nicely covers the history of Chinatown in Oakland, California through rare photographs from the turn of the century to more recent photos depicting individuals and life in one of our country's more important and vibrant Chinatowns. Smartly organized into chapters divided by distinct topics, the interesting, and often fascinating, photos are supplemented with written commentary and introductions by the author who is intimately familiar with Oakland. For those with any kind of background or history with Oakland Chinatown, this book is a must buy. It will revive memories of those who are part of the community and serves to memorialize an important part of Asian-American history.
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