Chinese Immigrants in San Francisco
This picture is taken by William Simpson in 1936 in Chinatown during the Chinese New Year Parade. This picture shows how Chinese immigrants are still very enthusiastic about their culture even though they came to the United States. Their participation in their cultural events shows that Chinese immigrants did not give away their cultural custom while adapting American culture in the same time. The clothing of the Chinese boys showed that Chinese immigrants were being more American-like. They started adapting American ways of dressing and changing their appearance to be more like Americans.
Picture showed above was from:http://www.museumca.org/picturethis/sites/default/files/pictures/a92.40.56_edit_0.jpg
Picture showed above was from:http://www.museumca.org/picturethis/sites/default/files/pictures/a92.40.56_edit_0.jpg
The History of Chinese Immigrants in the Bay Area
San Francisco has the largest Chinese Americans population. In 1850s to 1900s, large number of Chinese Immigrants from Guangdong came to the US. United States Government passed the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 passing the first restriction in Chinese immigration. However, it did reduce the population in 1920s. Eventually in the 1943, Congress was deciding to change the Chinese Exclusion Act and even President Roosevelt joined the case. Eventually, it was repealed in late 1943 after Chinese immigrants join the war in USA's side in World War II. However, only 105 Chinese were permitted to go in the US yearly. Furthermore, World War II brought Americans' anti-Chinese feelings to change. Chinese originally came to the America for Gold Rush. In 1870s, depression and competition of jobs brought up racism against Chinese. Chinese immigration ended in 1882 when the Chinese Exclusion Act was passed. Chinese were segregated in Chinatown. Finally, in the Attack on Pearl Harbor, Chinese allied with Americans in fighting against the Japanese during World War II ended most of the racism issues. Chinese in San Francisco contributed 18,000 dollar for the Red Cross and 30,000 into the war in 1942. The law said that single Chinese men were the first one to choose in immigration. Therefore, there was a large number of Chinese bachelor in the America. There are 13,499 Chinese who fought the war for the US, and it was 22% of all Chinese men in America. Before the war, Chinese jobs were limited in Chinatown. They worked as waiters, cook, laundry etc. When the war started, working-men went to participate in the war and left with many available jobs for different races of immigrants. Jobs in industry were available. In 1943, San Francisco Bay Area, 15% of shipyard workers were Chinese.
Chinese Immigrants Living in the Bay Area
In the Chinatown neighborhood there was violence called the Tong war. In 1921, Jack Manion was appointed and served for two decades for the Chinatown Squad, established by the San Francisco Police Department. The Chinatown Squad disbanded in August 1955 by Police Chief George Healey. The disband issue was requested by the Chinese World newspaper saying that the squad was a "affront to Americans of Chinese descent”. Large number of Hong Kong Chinese immigrants began coming to San Francisco in 1960s, and its population increased in 1980s. These immigrants have to get low paying jobs because of their lack in English fluency. Cantonese speaking immigrants quickly replaced the original Hoisanese/Taishanese dialect with Cantonese. Then, Chinese Immigrants increased dramatically in the sunset district in 1980s replacing the Irish immigrants. Irving Street, Noriega Street, and Taraval Street became the second Chinatown.
Stories of the Chinese Immigrants in the 1900s
Mr.Hom is an immigrant who came to the U.S. as a "paper son". Paper son is someone who uses false identity paper claiming that his father is a citizen from the U.S. However, Mr. Hom became a citizen after serving in World War II. The Chinese Exclusion Act was repealed by the Congress in 1943 after the Chinese joined the United States in the allies. The United States was checking the false paperwork of citizenship in 1950s. Many Chinese immigrants were sent back to China because of the fake identity papers. Mr.Hom was very scared by that time. However, he served the army, so he was able to received his citizenship in a month after the research.
Sou Ying Chan is another Chinese immigrant who came in the 1980s. She came with her mother and lived in an apartment that was rent by her father in Chinatown. She claimed that Chinatown was less crowded than now. The streets were much quieter than now. Chinatown will be empty around 6:00 pm. San Francisco provided ESL classes for immigrants. She took one of the classes to improve her English skill. However, she stopped taking the class because she faced many hardships when she first came here. She had to work very hard to earn money, so she had no time to study. Sou also said that many companies moved out of the United States and thousands of people lost their jobs.
Sou Ying Chan is another Chinese immigrant who came in the 1980s. She came with her mother and lived in an apartment that was rent by her father in Chinatown. She claimed that Chinatown was less crowded than now. The streets were much quieter than now. Chinatown will be empty around 6:00 pm. San Francisco provided ESL classes for immigrants. She took one of the classes to improve her English skill. However, she stopped taking the class because she faced many hardships when she first came here. She had to work very hard to earn money, so she had no time to study. Sou also said that many companies moved out of the United States and thousands of people lost their jobs.
Chan, Sou Ying. "Chinese Immigrant's Life in 1980s." Interview by author. April 25, 2015.
"Depression Era: 1930s: Chinatown: De Facto Segregation." Depression Era: 1930s: Chinatown: De Facto Segregation. Accessed May 11, 2015. http://www.museumca.org/picturethis/timeline/depression-era-1930s/chinese-american-culture/info.
"History of the Chinese Americans in San Francisco." - Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. February 2, 2014. Accessed April 28, 2015.
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Chinese_Americans_in_San_Francisco.
Nina Bernstein "Immigration Stories, From Shadows to Spotlight." New York Times. September 29, 2009
"San Francisco History." San Francisco History. Accessed April 28, 2015. http://www.sanfrancisco.com/history/.
"Depression Era: 1930s: Chinatown: De Facto Segregation." Depression Era: 1930s: Chinatown: De Facto Segregation. Accessed May 11, 2015. http://www.museumca.org/picturethis/timeline/depression-era-1930s/chinese-american-culture/info.
"History of the Chinese Americans in San Francisco." - Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. February 2, 2014. Accessed April 28, 2015.
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Chinese_Americans_in_San_Francisco.
Nina Bernstein "Immigration Stories, From Shadows to Spotlight." New York Times. September 29, 2009
"San Francisco History." San Francisco History. Accessed April 28, 2015. http://www.sanfrancisco.com/history/.