Unmasking Anna May Wong Exhibit and Opening Reception

The Chinese American Museum invites you to the opening reception of our latest exhibition, Unmasking Anna May Wong on Thursday, May 23rd at 6:30 – 9:00 pm. CAM Members can have a special preview at 5:30pm.

Unmasking Anna May Wong honors Chinese American actress and legend, Anna May Wong. The exhibition pays tribute to the trailblazer and icon who challenged conventions against all odds and paved the way for greater diversity and representation. Look behind the curtain and explore her life beyond Hollywood. Unmasking Anna May Wong will run from May 24, 2024 – Jan 26, 2025.

The opening reception will be open to the public, but we encourage you to register now at camla.org/annamaywong/.

Co-curated by CAM and Not Your China Doll author Katie Gee Salisbury.

Beyond the Page with William Gow

Join the Chinese American Museum on Sunday, May 19th at 10:30am for the next installment of Beyond the Page where we will be celebrating the launch of Performing Chinatown: Hollywood, Tourism, and the Making of a Chinese American Community by William Gow. Gow’s book explores the Chinese American community’s contributions to the Hollywood film industry and Los Angeles tourism scene during the early 20th century. 

Join Gow and Dr. Kathy Yep, Professor of Asian American Studies at Pitzer College, as they discuss Los Angeles Chinatown’s long-overlooked history and the community’s impact on Hollywood, which in turn shaped mainstream perceptions of the Asian American identity.  

About the Author:  

William Gow is a Sacramento-based community historian, educator, and documentary filmmaker. A fourth-generation Chinese American and a proud graduate of the San Francisco Unified School District, he holds a B.F.A. in Cinema Studies from NYU, an M.A. in Asian American Studies from UCLA, and a Ph.D. in Ethnic Studies from UC Berkeley. He currently serves as the co-director of the Five Chinatowns Community History Project for the Chinese Historical Society of Southern California and holds a position as Assistant Professor of Asian American Studies in the Ethnic Studies Department at California State University, Sacramento.  

About the Moderator:  

Dr. Kathy Yep is a tenured Professor of Asian American Studies at Pitzer College. Dr. Yep received her B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. in Ethnic Studies from the University of California, Berkeley. With a focus on feminist pedagogies, community-based learning, and cultural politics, her writing has appeared in numerous peer-reviewed journals and publications, including the Los Angeles Times, Harper Collins and Temple University Press. Dr. Yep was also awarded the Claremont Colleges 2020 Diversity Mentor Award for her role as co-architect of the Claremont Faculty Leadership Program, where she integrated anti-racist pedagogies and contemplative practices in the professional development curriculum.   

**CAM’s Beyond the Page series features conversations with AAPI authors to amplify Asian American voices and their diverse experiences.  

Register at camla.org/williamgow