Contents

• Museum Gains Bigger Work: Garnier Work Proceeds
• Service with Pride and Honor
• New El Pueblo Administration
• President's Message
• Chinatown Returns to El Pueblo
• Donors
• Getty Interns Share a Memorable MCAH Summer
• Acquisition
• Annual Meeting
• Summer Sojourn
• A Big Thank You to Our Volunteers
• Board Members

The Garnier Block rehabilitation project, which has been delayed for several years by the master developers' inactivity, is finally moving. Necessary seismic work on all the buildings in the Pico and Garnier Blocks at El Pueblo Monument would have been taken care of by the developer with whom the City of Los Angeles had negotiated a contract, but as the contract is now being terminated, the work will be done by the City using the Proposition G. funds approved by the voters in 1990. This New City action will significantly accelerate the process. In addition, repair of the roof of the Garnier Building needs to be done before the museum's own rehabilitation project can get under way.

In the meantime, Architect Scott Field has almost completed the plans and specifications for the rehabilitation of the first and mezzanine floors of the north bay of the Garnier Block, the original Museum site. Mr. Field was chosen through the competitive bid process. Eight architectural firms had responded to a Request for Proposals and out of four architects interviewed, Mr. Field was selected. He has asked Bruce Resnick to undertake the structural engineering on the project.

Jean Bruce Poole
Historic Museum Director

MCAH goes to the classroom at San Gabriel High School. The veterans making presentations were (top L to R): Robert Jung, Winifred Lee, and John Yee.

The Los Angeles Chinese American Veterans of World War II exhibit.

I remember, 50 years ago. The hot, dusty training camps. The hard work. Thousands of strangers, mostly men. A hundred locations with foreign sounding names. My buddies. Marriage. Good times. And the terror of battle.

In an emerging annual Los Angeles Chinese New Year tradition, the Friends of the Museum of Chinese American History developed and presented as this year's traveling historical exhibit Los Angeles Chinese American Veterans of World War II. Conceived as a recognition and a celebration of the dedication, contributions, and memories of our World War II vets, this well-mounted photo display and memorabilia exhibit has traveled to over twelve venues in less than nine months, beginning with Cathay Bank in Los Angeles Chinatown on February 18th to the Grand Lodge building of the Chinese American Citizens Alliance in San Francisco.

Following up on the Fall Dinner of the Chinese Historical Society of Southern California, at which over seventy of these rediscovered vets were honored, the Friends carried forth the theme and message of the patriotic involvement of Chinese Americans during this era which became a turning point for the community itself, for America, and, for that matter the whole world. For Chinese Americans, World War II involvement and events marked the nadir of anti-Chinese discrimination and the opening of a new universe of opportunities in post-war period.

Supporting co-sponsors included the Chinese Historical Society itself, El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historic Monument, and corporate co-sponsors Cathay Bank and First Public Savings Bank.

Friends' President, Dr. Dan Louie, Jr., has reflected on the significance and impact of this traveling exhibit on the Southern California community. This exhibit has turned out to be an outstanding success. I was surprised at the demand and interest. Events spinning off the exhibition began with an evening hosted by Cathay Bank at the Grand Opening and culminated with the memorable Thank You party held at Jerry Jann's in October. There, veterans contributing to the exhibit were awarded thank you souvenir certificates by the Friends. All one-of-a-kind exhibition materials, including Distinguished Flying Crosses, Purple Hearts, campaign patches, uniform parts, and the like were duly returned. The San Gabriel High School showing included veterans' discussions panels for over 500 high schoolers. Handling the Q and A's were Bob Jung, Al Lew, Johnny Yee, Winifred Lee, Stephen Wong, (president of the Wong Association), Jim Gee (president of the Gee Association), and Jim Fong.

The traveling exhibit concept is a program created by the Friends and El Pueblo to provide a museum without walls. While awaiting the completion of the permanent exhibition, the objective of the Museum of Chinese American History is to bring Chinese American History directly to the people, in the communities. This element has become so popular that it likely will remain a key tenet of MCAH's program even after the permanent museum is installed. Looking over this summer's great experience, Jann has summarized, This was the right exhibit at the right time.

By Munson Kwok

The commissioners have had a great interest in all the activities that took place at El Pueblo and actively participated in them. They have been especially supportive of the Museum project and have attended several events.

The task of the commission is to set policies and review and approve guidelines, contracts, budgets and other official documents. In the days before the commission was appointed, the park was run by the City Recreation and Parks Commission and was a small cog in a very big wheel. When the State of California decided to turn El Pueblo over to the City of Los Angeles through an act of the State Legislature (SB53), which was approved on September 29th, 1987, it was time to create a new form of administration for the Park. The law decreed that the State was to turn the Park over to the City on or before January 1, 1989. It took the City of Los Angeles until February 12, 1990 to declare its official acceptance of the park, which then became known as a Monument.

On May 5th, 1992, an ordinance making El Pueblo into a separate city department was approved by the City Council, but it took until August 30th, 1994 for the Mayor's appointees to the Commission to be selected, sworn in and to attend their inaugural meeting as commissioners.

The El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument Authority Commission has seven members who are listed below:

• Philip Bartenetti, President
• Lydia López, Vice President
• Anthony Cardenas
• Dr. Juan Gómez-Quiñones
• Steward Kwoh
• Josephine Ramirez
• Andrès Topacio

In the Authority's first term, Lydia López was president and Stewart Kwoh, vice president. The Commission meets twice monthly in the Merced Theatre on North Main Street on the second and fourth Thursday at 4:00pm. An agenda is posted at least seventy-two hours in advance. The public is welcome and may make comments on the various items on the agenda

Jean Bruce Poole

I am happy to let you know what has been happening lately!! To make it brief, I'll list a few of the accomplishments since my last note:

1. The Board of El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument Authority Commissioners has been meeting regularly. We have attended many meetings and have a good working relationship with the commissioners. Just recently we have signed a tentative agreement with them laying out our relationships over the long run. Just a few weeks ago, we sponsored an information booth and a food booth at the Los Angeles' 214th Birthday party that lasted over two days at the Monument. It was lots of fun.

2. At this time, the El Pueblo Commission has recommended to the Mayor and the City Council to terminate the Lease Agreement between the City and Old L.A. for the development of the historic Pico-Garnier Block at El Pueblo. This topic is now before the Arts, Health and Humanities Committee of the Council. We hope this matter will be cleared up very soon so that the City can go ahead with the seismic work on the building, using the bond money which is available.

3. We have been working with an architect on the layout of our museum. He has plans for the first floor and mezzanine of the north bay of the Garnier Building. I am happy to report that the Commission has voted to enlarge our area to the second floor and the basement and an adjoining basement which will give us what we really need for a museum.

4. Our World War II 50th anniversary display showing the activities of our veterans has been a great success. It has been shown at many local venues as well as at the 100th anniversary of the Chinese American Citizens Alliance in San Francisco.

5. Again, we have been greatly blessed by the Getty Grant Program which financed two more interns for our museum project. This year we have Di Tran and Vivian Wong, who have been participating in our exhibit projects and researching activities and have also solicited help from other students during the two day celebration of Los Angeles' 214th birthday. In addition, Getty also funded two other interns for the Monument.

6. During the past year we have cooperated with the Japanese American National Museum, the Korean American Museum, and the Autry Museum of Western Heritage in supporting seminars and exhibits highlighting Asian American history and experiences.

Dan Louie, Jr.
President

The Friends of the Museum of Chinese American History were active in several ways. One of the most beautifully decorated cultural booths belonged to the Friends, complete with an ornate lion's head which attracted a great deal of attention. The Chinese American Community in Early Los Angeles exhibit was also displayed, enticing the visitors to spend more time in the booth to learn more about MCAH from one of our eager volunteers!

Entertainment was a multicultural experience, sprinkled with surprises. Upon the recommendation of Di Tran, one of MCAH's Getty summer interns, the performance group Here and Now delivered a sparkling skit which was very well received. Betty Oyama's East Wind Lion Dance Group elated the audience with dramatic and colorful fanfare.

And of course, who could forget MCAH's valiant effort in the ethnic food court? While the crowd was not everything that El Pueblo had hoped for , The Friends stuck it out in one hundred plus degree weather to offer delicious food. One of the best aspects of this event was the amount of civic pride which was displayed, from the tireless volunteers to the generous sponsors such as the kind folks at Phoenix Bakery who graciously provided 2000 pieces of birthday cake!

For the first time, many other communities also became involved in the event such as the French, Italian, and Spanish. We are looking forward to a bigger and better 215th Birthday , and we anxiously look forward to working with the wonderful volunteers from the Friends of the Museum of Chinese American History again!

Tamryn Stoll
EP Public Relations Director

DONORS ($1000-$5000)
Mei Wah Club
John, Johnson, & Bill Yee (in memory of Mr. & Mrs. Tung Chaw Lai Yee)

FRIENDS ($100-$499)
Associated Students UCLA
Cathay Bank
First Public Savings Bank
Kong Chow Benevolent Association
Phi Delta Epsilon
Jim Fong (in honor of Bob Toy)
Jean And Bill Jong
Joan Lee
Holly Lee (in memory of Dr. Ed Lee)
Gilbert Leong
Winifred L. Lew
Susie Ling
Marilynn Quon (in memory of Howard Quon)
Don Quon
Tim K. and Annie Chin Siu
Robert Wong (in memory of Don Chang)

MEMBERS($10-$99)
Erna P. Anderberg
Paul G. Chace
John and Carol Duan
Jane J. Fong
Christine Yee Hollis
Munson Kwok
Him Mark Lai
Marjorie Lee
Donald Loo
Linda Lum
Chris L. and Minnie D. Pocino
Jean Bruce Poole
Ella Quan
Teena Stern
Camille Wong
Anita Wong and Richard Lim
UCLA Asian American Studies Center

1995 Getty interns: Vivien Wong (L) and Di Tran (R) working on the WWII exhibit.

The Museum of Chinese American History had the great fortune of working with two more Getty interns this summer. This was the third consecutive year that MCAH has been a part of Getty's Multicultural Summer Internship Program. The two interns this year were Di Tran and Vivien Wong. Their responsibilities included research and planning exhibits for the museum.

Di Tran is a first generation ethnic Chinese from Vietnam. she attends Occidental College and Majors in Asian Studies. Beginning this Fall she is studying abroad in China, first in Taipei, Taiwan at the National Chengchi University. Her second semester will take place at Nanjing University in Mainland China. Di feels that the newly gained knowledge about Chinese culture will be an important stepping stone towards Asian American Studies, a field that she hopes to study in the future.

Di has been touring with Here and Now Theater Company and has been an active participant for two years. Made-up contemporary stories as well as traditional fairy tales from an Asian American point of view was the forte of the company. Their audience include a variety of individuals, particularly within America's college youth. With Di's recommendation El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument invited the troupe to perform at the Los Angeles' 214th Birthday celebration in September. Their performance was very received.

Vivien Wong is a second generation Chinese American who has lived in Los Angeles all her life. She currently attends California State University, Northridge as a senior, and studies Anthropology with a minor in Asian American Studies.

Vivien is not a stranger to Los Angeles' Chinatown. Her interest in her community led her to volunteer work at the Chinatown Service Center last summer. Although the job did not pay, Vivien stated that what she got out of it was worthwhile.

Vivien described her internship experience as one that inflicted a wide range of emotions within her. When she learned of new historical facts that might be vital towards future permanent exhibits at our museum, she was engulfed with exhilaration. Vivien has also felt the frustrations of hindered plans due to the lack of necessary resources. Overall her experiences as an intern has been invaluable!

When Di first started her internship, she had very little knowledge about the history of the Chinese Americans in Los Angeles; she knew even less about the museum. After the ten week internship, Di expressed great excitement about all that she had learned. I love the fact that the internship exposes me to new things everyday: it requires a lot of field work. Di was referring to the many trips to Chinatown that she and her colleague, Vivien, took in their course of research for the museum. Sometimes the work required them to conduct an oral history interview with a particular community member; other times they collected information. Di became most excited when they uncovered old documents and artifacts. She claimed she could almost feel the life energy of the past that had settled in such items surge through her fingertips as she held them in her hands.

Toward the end of the ten week period, Di and Vivien enthusiastically shared their experiences as interns in a presentation to several groups of incoming California State University, Northridge students participating in the Summer Bridge program.

Over the ten weeks both Di and Vivien became attached to the museum effort. Di said, I hope very much that this project comes together in good time. There is a desperate need for the history of the Chinese Americans to be told -- I can feel it each time a member of the community tells his or her story. Di planned to contribute as much as she can to the museum project in the future while Vivien has already returned to volunteer her time for different museum projects. Her recent excellent effort in coordinating volunteering staff for the information and food booths at the City's birthday celebration was greatly appreciated by the Friends.

Di Tran and Vivien Wong
Getty Summer Interns

The Board also wishes to thank Judy Deppman, Sanora Babb Howe, Munson Kwok, Holly Lee, Ruth Lung, and Albert Wong for their generous donations. They selflessly contributed to the museum many precious artifacts from their family collection. These artifacts include:

1. a water color painting by Jake Lee (Judy Deppman);
2. a self portrait painted by Tyrus Wong (Sanora Babb Howe);
3. twelve Chinese costumes and clothes of Daisy Wong (Munson Kwok);
4. one ink holder, one embroidered silk handkerchief, porcelains, and decorative, teasels, etc. (Ruth Lung);
5. a set of five old Chinese books. (Holly Lee); and
6. store sign, tools, and artifacts from Sam Sing Market which was first located in the Calle de Los Negros in the Old Chinatown in the 1870s (Albert Wong).

Another wonderful collection consisting of Chinese wedding dress, costumes, and photographs were given to the museum by late the Dorothy Siu before she passed away. Her kind contribution was greatly appreciated and acknowledged at the time of donation.

Several items of Munson Kwok's and Dorothy Siu's donation are currently on loan for two different exhibitions at the Autry Museum of Western Heritage and the Fashion Institute of Design and Material.

If there is anything at home that you think could be added to the Chinese American Museum exhibit and you would like to contribute to the museum, please contact us.

Elmo Gambarana

Julia Beers Richard Carrico John Cooley Eddie Cheung Carlos Duran Elmo Gambarana Jose Garcia Ben Fong Edith Fong Jana Fong Jim Fong Agnes Fung Lorine Hilliker

Elsie Inase Gerald Jann Sonia Johson Edith Jung Robert Jung Kent Kawai Robert Kwan Munson Kwok Hellen Lane Robert Large Lawrence Lai Joan Leek Sandy Lee

Gilbert Leong Billy Lew Dorothy Lew Kenneth Lim Susie Ling Dan Louie, Jr. Esther Louie Anna Lowrey Sally Mendelsohn Maria Mendoza Regina Miller Wendy Nakashima Adriana Don Olivera

Emma Pacheco Carmel Padgett Patricia Rayhack Sandra Ruiz Lenore Staford Herbert Tom Di Tran Jeffrey Tung Alister Uy Cy Wong Tyrus Wong Vivien Wong

GERALD JANN
says his forebears ran the first Chinese grocery store in Stockton, California. He attended the University of Southern California and Los Angeles Art Center, His work in the media includes radio, newspaper, television producing and magazine publishing. He volunteers for many of the MCAH projects and is active in the Los Angeles Century City Optimist Club. One of his hobbies is restoring and driving sportscars.

EDITH JUNG
A third generation Angeleno serves as the Vice President of the Friends of the Museum of Chinese American History. She was the past treasurer of the National Association of Chinese Americans. Currently, she is a Chinese secretary and a board member of the Los Angeles Chinatown Corporation. She is busy with property management and investments, and enjoys her four grandchildren.

ROBERT JUNG
served in World War II. He is co-founder and past president of the Chinese Grocers Association of Southern California. He is also the past president of the Kow Kong Benevolent Association and the past vice president of the National Association of Chinese Americans. Currently, he is active many community organizations including the Chinese Americans Citizens Alliance as vice president, the Chinese American Veteran's Memorial Plaque Committee, and the Los Angeles Chinatown Corporation, as past president and a Board member.

ROBERT KWAN
a third generation Angeleno, practices law with the United States Attorney's office. He is active in the community and in the Bar. He has served as Chair of the South Pasadena Cultural Heritage Commission, President of the Los Angeles Chinese Lawyer's Association and a trustee of the Los Angeles County Bar.

DR. MUNSON KWOK
is a department director in the research laboratories of a Southern California aerospace firm. He is a past president and current treasurer of the Chinese Historical Society of Southern California. He is also the Grand Executive on the National Board of Officers of the Chinese American Citizen's Alliance. Dr. Kwok is a member and past chair of the Chinatown Community Advisory Committee for the Chinatown Project of the Community Redevelopment Agency of Los Angeles.

JUDGE RONALD S. W. LEW
is the first Chinese American appointed as a United States District Judge in the Continental United States. He was a founder of the Chinatown Service Center and the Southern California Chinese Lawyer's Association. He also served as a commissioner of the Los Angeles Fire and Police Pension Commission. Because of his contribution to the community, he has received numerous awards from legal and community organizations including the most recent honor given by the Asian Pacific American Legal Center.

DR. DAN LOUIE, JR.
is a Ph.D. graduate from UCLA in Plant Science. As a fourth generation California farmer he was the past president of the Louie Produce Company for thirty years and is currently the president of Arizona Produce, and the Founder and Chairman of the Board of Standard Savings Bank. In the past he has served as in the City Council Committee for the Handicapped, the Advisory Committee to the L.A. Economic Development Commission, two terms as president of the Los Angeles Convention Center Commission. His involvement in other community organizations include past district governor of Lions International, Kow Chow Temple Association and Chinatown Service Center.

BETTY WONG OYAMA
has been a Chinatown resident for over 38 years. A single parent who enjoys volunteering her time in serving and helping the community. She is currently Co-Chair of the Board of Directors for the Chinatown Service Center, vice president of the Board of Directors for the Chinatown Public Safety Association, and Founder and President of the Forgotten Edge neighborhood Watch Group.

JEAN BRUCE POOLE
is Historical Museum Director at El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument. She has worked at the Monument for eighteen years in charge of the History Division and its historic house museums. Prior to her work at El Pueblo she served as assistant director of the California Historical Society's Southern California office. She was educated in Sorbonne, University of Paris, France. She has been honored by the Southern California Historical Society and the Daughters of the American Revolution for her contributions to the community.

ELLA YEE QUAN
is a retired elementary School principal with 25 years of service with the Los Angeles Unified School District. She is one of the founders and member of HAPI, Inc. which has provided community management of the city's annual Lotus Festival for fifteen years. Ella also coordinated the Chinese New Year carnival for the past 20 years and has been the editor of the Chinese New Year Book for over twelve years. Currently, she enjoys baby-sitting her grandchildren, ages 3, 6, and 7 as well as continuing her volunteer work for the Chinese Chamber of Commerce and the Chinese Historical Society of Southern California of which she is a past president.

VIVIAN TSENG
graduated from UCLA in June 1995 with a degree in Psychology and a minor in Asian American Studies. She has served as president of the Chinese Students Association, as well as a board member of the Pacific Asian American Students Association at UCLA. Currently she is working on her doctorate degree in Community Psychology at New York University

To be continued on the next issue.

Betty Wong Oyama