Chinese Historical Society of Southern California facts for kids
The Chinese Historical Society of Southern California (CHSSC) is a group that helps people learn about the history of Chinese and Chinese Americans in Southern California. It is based in Chinatown, Los Angeles, California. The CHSSC holds regular meetings and field trips. They also collect old documents and books, record stories from people, offer money to help students, and publish books.
How It Started
The CHSSC had its first meeting on November 1, 1975. This meeting took place at Cathay Bank in Los Angeles, California. Important people like Paul Louie, William Mason, and Paul De Falla were there.
The main goals of the CHSSC are:
- To bring together people who care about the history of Chinese and Chinese Americans in Southern California.
- To find, save, and share knowledge about this history.
- To help everyone better understand the rich culture of the Chinese and Chinese American community.
In the mid-1990s, the CHSSC bought a building on Bernard Street. They built the Chinatown Heritage & Visitors Center there. This center is open to everyone who wants to visit and learn.
What CHSSC Does
The CHSSC has published several books. One book, Duty & Honor, came out in 1998. It celebrated Chinese American veterans who served in World War II. They also published Portraits of Pride I (2004) and Portraits of Pride II (2012). These books share the life stories of Chinese Americans who achieved great things but were not widely known.
In 1992, the society bought an old shrine built in 1880. They also bought 42 burial spots around it in Evergreen Cemetery. The CHSSC worked to fix up these places. Now, this site is a registered historic monument.
In 2019, the CHSSC helped with an exhibit called "Gatherings: Collecting and Documenting Chinese American History." This exhibit was shown at the Museum of Chinese in America.
Honoring Chinese Americans
Each year, the Chinese Historical Society of Southern California honors Chinese Americans. These are people who have made important contributions to the greater Los Angeles area. Some of the people and groups they have honored include:
- 2005 - Chinese American Pioneers in Law from Los Angeles. This group included Betty Tom Chu, Judge Rose Hom, You Chung Hong, Judge Ronald S.W. Lew, Judge Jennifer Lum, Judge Delbert Wong, and Debra Yang.
- 2006 - Chinese American Actors. This group included James Hong, Nancy Kwan, and Russell Wong.
- 2007 - Chinese American Banking Pioneers in Los Angeles. This included Preston Martin, F. Chow Chan, and banks like Cathay Bank, East West Bank, and Far East National Bank.
- 2008 - Chinese American Associations. This included groups like the Arcadia Chinese Association and the Chinese American Association of Walnut.
- 2009 - Chinese Americans in Sports. This group included tennis player Michael Chang, Olympian Tiffany Chin, football coach Norm Chow, and many others.
See also
- History of the Chinese Americans in Los Angeles
- Chinese American Museum
- Chinese Culture Center
- Chinese Historical Society of America
- Museum of Chinese in America
- Weaverville Joss House State Historic Park
