Investing in the Local Community
Exploring the role of mutual-aid organizations in the evolution of the Chinese American community. Co-sponsored by Stanford's Asian American Art Initiative
Center for Asian American Media (CAAM)
Developed in partnership with the Chinatown Media & Arts Collaborative
Portrait of the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association Representatives (1934) by May’s Photo StudioCenter for Asian American Media (CAAM)
The Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association
The Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association, better known as the Chinese Six Companies, was America’s most powerful voice for Chinese self-governance. After the 1906 Earthquake it became increasingly involved in a network of fundraising to rebuild Chinatown’s infrastructure.
Part 3: Exploring community scenes and stories from a critical decade of San Francisco’s Chinatown through the lens of the May’s Photo Studio.
Additional information about each image or video can be accessed by hovering and clicking on the top left information icon (a lower case "i" in a circle).
YMCA Site Panorama (1924) by May’s Photo StudioCenter for Asian American Media (CAAM)
Preparing for the 1924 YMCA Groundbreaking in Chinatown
A 1924 welcoming event for the YMCA in Chinatown featured student assemblies from community schools including both the Chinese Central High School and the Morning Bell School, a Kuomintang-affiliated project that operated from 1919-1924; each enrolled nearly 200 students.
Preparing for the 1924 YMCA Groundbreaking in Chinatown
A 1924 welcoming event for the YMCA in Chinatown featured student assemblies from community schools including both the Chinese Central High School and the Morning Bell School, a Kuomintang-affiliated project that operated from 1919-1924; each enrolled nearly 200 students.
Opening of the Chinese Hospital (1925) by May’s Photo StudioCenter for Asian American Media (CAAM)
The 1925 Grand Opening of the new Chinese Hospital
The openings of many of these new community-funded establishments were documented by the May’s Photo Studio, like this 1925 shot of the opening of the Chinese Hospital at 845 Jackson Street, helping reinforce a growing sense of identity and pride.
Page 4 from the San Francisco Chronicle newspaper (1925-04-29) by San Francisco ChronicleCenter for Asian American Media (CAAM)
Chinese Hospital makes the news
Although appearing on page 4, coverage of the opening of the Chinese Hospital in the San Francisco Chronicle and in other regional press was both extensive and significant, and highly positive.
Nam Kue School with Drum Corps (1935) by May’s Photo StudioCenter for Asian American Media (CAAM)
Nam Kue Chinese School also opened its new building in 1925
A new facility for the Nam Kue Chinese School that was founded in 1919 also opened in 1925 at 755 Sacramento, virtually across the street from May’s Photo Studio. It initially offered classes in Cantonese (later Mandarin) and classical calligraphy - and they had a drum corps.
Central Chinese High School Student Body and Band (1920) by May’s Photo StudioCenter for Asian American Media (CAAM)
The Central Chinese High School outgrows its home once again
Founded in the 1880s, the Central Chinese High School offered classes on the 2nd and 3rd floors of the Chinese Six Companies beginning in 1909. After enrollment expanded dramatically in the 1920s, they acquired a building next door at 827 Stockton Street as a new permanent home.
Fundraising for the 1929 YWCA in Chinatown
In this video clip from a film by Felicia Lowe, historian Judy Yung shares stories about the women who did fundraising for the Chinatown YWCA that opened in 1929. A hand-colored May’s Studio photograph of the founders in the YWCA courtyard appears in the film.
Flood Relief at the Mandarin Theater (1924) by May’s Photo StudioCenter for Asian American Media (CAAM)
Chinatown also mounted major fundraising campaigns for China
After famously supporting fundraising for Sun Yat-sen’s 1911 Republican revolution, Chinatown also turned to fundraising for disaster relief, including for the 1924 Flood in Canton. Partnering in these efforts were the new opera houses, explored in a separate May’s Studio story.
Packard Parked at Mandarin Theater (1929) by May’s Photo StudioCenter for Asian American Media (CAAM)
Community-wide fundraising collaborations for China Relief
The 1929 Packard parked in front of the Mandarin Theater in this mysterious photograph is draped with banners reading “Ning Que” and “The Gift of Rebirth.” Its running board displays large-format, framed May’s Studio photographs. The central photo leads us into another world.
Community-wide fundraising collaborations for China Relief
The 1929 Packard parked in front of the Mandarin Theater in this mysterious photograph is draped with banners reading “Ning Que” and “The Gift of Rebirth.” Its running board displays large-format, framed May’s Studio photographs. The central photo leads us into another world.
Circular Table with Cash (1929) by May’s Photo StudioCenter for Asian American Media (CAAM)
Inside the photograph displayed on the running board
That photograph reveals an interior space with calligraphy and photographs on the walls. Six men, each wearing ribbons that identity them as the “Relief for homeland donation advocacy team,” crowd around a table overflowing with cash, suggesting a successful fundraising effort.
Inside the photograph displayed on the running board
That photograph reveals an interior space with calligraphy and photographs on the walls. Six men, each wearing ribbons that identity them as the “Relief for homeland donation advocacy team,” crowd around a table overflowing with cash, suggesting a successful fundraising effort.
Chinese Famine Relief Association (1929) by May’s Photo StudioCenter for Asian American Media (CAAM)
Ribbons identify the Chinese Famine Relief Association
The same ribbons are worn by the roughly sixty people seated outside the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association in this commemorative photo, labeled in English as the 1929 Chinese Famine Relief Association, and linking back to the Mandarin Theater fundraising efforts.
Ribbons identify the Chinese Famine Relief Association
The same ribbons are worn by the roughly sixty people seated outside the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association in this commemorative photo, labeled in English as the 1929 Chinese Famine Relief Association, and linking back to the Mandarin Theater fundraising efforts.
Stage for Cai (Tsai) Ting-kai in Stockton (1934) by May’s Photo StudioCenter for Asian American Media (CAAM)
Transition to fundraising to support China’s war effort
Cai (Tsai) Ting-kai was a hero in the resistance to Japanese occupation of China in the early 1930s. In 1934, San Francisco leaders arranged a 160-day fundraising tour to 20 US Chinese communities, including this visit to Stockton. In San Francisco, Cai’s talk attracted 10,000.
Stage for Cai (Tsai) Ting-kai in Stockton (1934) by May’s Photo StudioCenter for Asian American Media (CAAM)
Panorama of Cai (Tsai) Ting-kai's visit to Stockton
May's Photo Studio traveled outside San Francisco to document other Chinese community gatherings, often using their special panoramic camera. This is an event sponsored by the Stockton Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association, established in 1924.
Panorama of Cai (Tsai) Ting-kai's visit to Stockton
May's Photo Studio traveled outside San Francisco to document other Chinese community gatherings, often using their special panoramic camera. This is an event sponsored by the Stockton Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association, established in 1924.
Panorama of Cai (Tsai) Ting-kai's visit to Stockton
May's Photo Studio traveled outside San Francisco to document other Chinese community gatherings, often using their special panoramic camera. This is an event sponsored by the Stockton Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association, established in 1924.
Funders of the Chinese Aviation School Standing in front of the YMCA (1933) by May’s Photo StudioCenter for Asian American Media (CAAM)
Funders of the Chinese Aviation School
These men standing in front of the Chinatown YMCA represent the funders of a new Chinese Aviation School that trained Chinese American pilots to fight overseas for Chinese liberation. Schools were founded in Portland, OR in 1932 as well as in San Francisco in 1933 and 1938.
First Graduating Class of the Chinese Aviation School (1933) by May’s Photo StudioCenter for Asian American Media (CAAM)
San Francisco’s first Chinese Aviation School graduates
This photograph documents the first graduating class of the Chinese Aviation School. Community historian Him Mark Lai estimates that between 150 and 200 Chinese Americans learned aeronautical skills and traveled to China to serve. He estimates 28 made the ultimate sacrifice.
This is Part 3 of 1920s Chinatown Insider, a multi-part story series exploring scenes and stories from a critical decade of San Francisco’s Chinatown through the lens of the May’s Photo Studio.
Read more by following one of the links below:
Part 1: People and Places
Part 2: Interior Spaces
A Tale of Two Opera Houses
Editors: Waverly Chao-Scott, Mark Dean Johnson, Stephen Gong, David Lei
Principal Designer: Waverly Chao-Scott
Editorial Advisors: Marci Kwon, Anna Lee, Ben Stone, Maggie Dethloff, Hansong Zhang
Original captions: Mark Dean Johnson, SFSU; Stephen Gong, CAAM; David Lei; Chase Wang, Xidian University
Consultants: Arthur Dong, Jianye He, Felicia Lowe, Shirley Ng, Nancy Rao, Lydia Tanji, Wylie Wong
Special Thanks: Leif Anderson, Nisha Balaram, George Berticevich, Kylee Jo Diedrich, Anna Eng, Chris Hacker, Carrie Haslett, Melissa Ho, Candace Huey, John Jacob, Anna Lee, Ding Lee, Joanne Lee, Minxiong Li, Tim Noakes
Funding and Support: Terra Foundation for American Art; Chinatown Media & Arts Collaborative; Stanford Libraries Special Collections; Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association Archives Project
Featuring Stanford's Special Collections Library: Philip P. Choy, Him Mark Lai, Judy Yung, and Wylie Wong's collection of May's Studio Photographs Part 1, Part 2, Online Archive of CA
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