Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association facts for kids

The Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association (CCBA) is an important organization for Chinese people in the United States and Canada. It was started a long time ago, in the late 1800s and early 1900s, to help Chinese immigrants. Most of these immigrants came from a specific area in southern China called the Pearl River Delta in Guangdong province.

The CCBA helped these new arrivals settle in. They faced many challenges, so the association offered support and protection. Later, after 1965, more Chinese immigrants arrived from different parts of China. They didn't face as many difficulties as the earlier groups, so the CCBA's role changed over time.

What the CCBA is Called

The CCBA has different names depending on where it is. For example, in San Francisco, it was often called the Chinese Six Companies, especially when it first started. In Seattle, it's known as the Chong Wa Benevolent Association. In Honolulu, it's called the United Chinese Society.

In Chinese, the name also changes. In the Western and Midwestern United States, and in Western Canada, it's usually called 中華會館. In the Eastern United States and Eastern Canada, it's known as 中華公所. The word 中華 means "Chinese" (referring to the Chinese nation). Both 會館 and 公所 are old terms for groups that helped people from the same area or trade.

Why the CCBA Was Important

The Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association (CCBA) was formally set up in 1882 in San Francisco's Chinatown. It quickly became very important because Chinese immigrants faced many problems. People in America often didn't understand Chinese culture, and there was a lot of unfair treatment against Chinese people. This made it clear that Chinese communities needed a strong organization to help them.

The CCBA was created to offer social, political, and economic support. It helped Chinese people travel to and from the US, and even helped send the bodies of those who died back to China. Many families were split between China and the US, so the association also cared for the sick and poor. As unfair treatment grew, the CCBA also started offering legal help and physical protection. Sometimes, Chinese people in Chinatown faced physical harm from racist Americans. Groups like the tongs also emerged, and they were known for protecting Chinese people from abuse.

The CCBA also had political power. It became the official voice for Chinatown communities across the US. Its leaders were often wealthy merchants and business people, and they worked with local and federal governments. They even hired a non-Chinese lawyer to speak for them, which helped them be heard more easily.

In the 1800s, many Chinese immigrants came to California hoping to find work in the gold mines. Their hard work helped the state's economy grow a lot. When gold mining slowed down, Chinese immigrants found other jobs in fishing, restaurants, farming, and building railroads. Some people at the time thought that Chinese immigrants took jobs away from American citizens. However, many Chinese immigrants created their own jobs because of language barriers, so this idea is debated.

The CCBA in San Francisco

Headquarters of the CCBA (also known as Chinese Six Companies) in San Francisco, on Stockton Street.

The KMT (a political party) has offices in some Chinatowns, and its US headquarters are in San Francisco's Chinatown, across from the Chinese Six Companies.

Early History in San Francisco

Early leaders of San Francisco's Six Companies in traditional Chinese clothing, around 1890.

When Chinese immigrants arrived in California during the California gold rush, they felt the government didn't protect them. To help each other, these pioneers from the Pearl River Delta formed groups like the Sze Yup and Sam Yap associations in San Francisco's Chinatown. As more Chinese immigrants arrived from different areas and spoke different dialects, more groups formed. By 1882, these became the six most important Chinese district associations in California, which worked together before the CCBA was officially formed.

These groups were based on a Chinese tradition called huiguan (traditional Chinese: 會館; simplified Chinese: 会馆; Mandarin Pinyin: huìguǎn; Jyutping: wui⁶gun²). These were support groups for people from the same region. Most Chinese in California came from the west side of the Pearl River Delta in Guangdong province. The first huiguan, called the Sam Yap (Chinese: 三邑; Mandarin Pinyin: sānyì; Jyutping: sam1 jap1; Cantonese Yale: Sāmyāp; literally "Three counties") Company, started in 1851. It helped people from specific counties like Nanhai and Panyu. Soon after, other companies formed, like the Sze Yap (Chinese: 四邑; Mandarin Pinyin: Sìyì; Jyutping: sei3 jap1; literally "Four Counties") company in 1851, and the Yeong Wo (Chinese: 陽 和) and Hip Kat companies in 1852. This meant Chinese people in California were organized into four main dialect groups.

Over time, some of these large companies split into smaller ones due to disagreements. For example, the Ning Yeung (Chinese: 寧 陽) company formed from Sze Yup in 1853, and the Hop Wo (Chinese: 合 和) company split off in 1862. By 1878, the main six companies were well-established.

The Six Companies acted like representatives for the Qing government of China, which didn't have an official office in Chinatown until the late 1870s. They helped Chinese immigrants and workers in San Francisco. They encouraged Chinese immigrants to live good lives and tried to manage immigration to reduce unfair treatment. They also helped sick Chinese workers by lending them money. They even opened a Chinese-language school, helped solve problems between members, kept track of Chinese residents, and helped members send money back to their families in China.

One of the most important jobs of the CCBA was to protect the civil rights of Chinese people. For example, they hired police officers to watch over Chinese businesses in San Francisco. They also hired non-Chinese lawyers to fight against unfair laws at the city, state, and national levels. A very important case in 1898, Wong Kim Ark, helped establish that children born in the US to Chinese parents were US citizens. The CCBA's lawyers helped win this case in the US Supreme Court.

Changes in the 1960s

Even though the Six Companies had tried to slow down Chinese immigration, it continued. In the 1960s, new challenges appeared within Chinese communities. Many Chinese people born in America had adopted American culture, which sometimes led to differences with new immigrants. Many new Chinese immigrants arrived without much money, as most of it was spent on travel. Children of these immigrants often had to work when they weren't in school and struggled to learn English.

In 2022, the CCBA in San Francisco welcomed its first female president, who was the head of the Yan Wo company.

The CCBA in New York City

The CCBA building in New York City.

In New York City, the CCBA was started in 1883. It acts as a main organization for about sixty other Chinese groups in New York. These groups include professional organizations, trade groups, religious groups, cultural groups, and women's groups.

The CCBA helped create the Chinese Voters Federation in May 2004. This group encouraged Chinese American citizens to register and vote in the 2004 presidential election.

After the terrible 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, the CCBA quickly started a community-wide effort to raise money for the victims. They raised over $500,000 for the American Red Cross. In September 2005, after Hurricane Katrina, the CCBA and Sing Tao Daily (a Chinese newspaper) worked together and raised $170,000 for the victims.

The CCBA also works with many larger organizations to help the Chinese American community. For example, they partner with the Visiting Nurse Service of New York and the American Cancer Society. In December 2006, the CCBA and the American Red Cross of Greater New York agreed to work together on programs in Chinatown. These programs help prepare the Chinese community for any kind of emergency.

The CCBA in New England

The Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association of New England, also known as CCBA, is a non-profit organization that started in 1923. It has 35 member groups, including family associations and other community organizations. The CCBA serves as the main organization for Chinese communities throughout New England.

Besides supporting community activities, the CCBA also manages apartment complexes called Tai Tung Village and Waterford Place. These places offer affordable housing for the Chinese community. The CCBA works with other groups like Chinatown Main Street to organize events such as the lion dance celebration for the Lunar New Year and the yearly August Moon Festival. These events attract visitors and help the economy in Chinatown. The CCBA also hosts important visitors to the Chinatown community.

The CCBA in Seattle

The Chong Wa Benevolent Association building in Seattle.

In Seattle, Washington, the Chong Wa Association was established around 1915.

The CCBA in Vancouver

Other CCBA Locations

The CCBA building in San Diego.

The CCBA building in Chicago.

The CCBA building in Washington, D.C.

The CCBA has many branches in different cities across the United States and Canada. Some of these include:

• Augusta, Georgia
• Boston, Massachusetts
• Chicago, Illinois
• Detroit, Michigan
• Honolulu, Hawaii
• Houston, Texas
• Los Angeles, California
• Montreal, Quebec
• New York City, New York
• Oakland, California
• Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• Portland, Oregon
• Sacramento, California
• San Diego, California
• San Francisco, California
• Seattle, Washington
• Toronto, Ontario
• Vancouver, British Columbia
• Washington, D.C.

See also

• Chinese Clan Association
• Kongsi
• List of Chinese American Associations