Much information on the Chinese communities in 19th century and early 20th century comes to us via periodicals newspapers of the time. Often what is depicted in the periodicals reflects a complicated history of relations and reactions that the Chinese experienced in coming to California, including material that often carries derogatory messages.

Yet these sources are often used today because of the scarcity of written documentation on certain aspects of Chinese American history. One of the richest sources of documentation can be found in San Francisco's The Wasp and The Wave and New York's Harper's Weekly.

These periodicals comment on the political, economic, and social events of the period. Though often overtly distorted or opinionated, these documents tell us the history of what immigrants faced coming to the American West and the inter-ethnic tensions present.

Westward Expansion
San Francisco Chinatown
Communities outside San Francisco
Oroville Chinese Temple
Agriculture, Fishing and Related Industries
Anti-Chinese Movement and Exclusion
Sentiments Concerning the Chinese
Finding Aid
About the Project
Home

By documenting specific locations, such as Chinatown in San Francisco, we can show the historic significance of those buildings and places as well as provide valuable information about patterns of early Chinese American life.