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Historical primary sources
When complete, the collection will include more than 250 plays, of which some 50% have never been published before. The database also includes selected playbills, production photographs and other ephemera related to the plays
Japanese-American relocation camp newspapers: perspectives on day-to-day life
One of the darker chapters in American history and one of the lesser discussed events of World War II was the forced internment, during the war, of an important segment of the American population -- persons of Japanese descent. This collection, consisting of 25 individual titles, documents life in the internment camps.
Database of overseas Chinese records. My China Roots is akin to the Ancestry.com of China, an online platform primarily for overseas Chinese to build one's family tree, upload historical family records and search for one's ancestors in a genealogical database.
The Rafu Shimpo (羅府新報, L.A. Japanese Daily News) is the longest-running Japanese American newspaper in the United States. The paper began in 1903 supporting the small but growing Japanese community in the Little Tokyo area of Los Angeles, California. By the 1940s it was the most widely circulated paper in the region and included a weekly English section for second generation Japanese Americans. With the onset of World War II, the paper was forced to cease publication after its publisher, H. Toyosaku Komai, and most of the Komai family were arrested and interned for the duration of the war.
Hoji Shinbun Digital Collection
The Hoji Shinbun Digital Collection is currently the world’s largest online archive of open-access, full image Japanese American and other overseas Japanese newspapers in Asia and South America. Image content in this collection is accompanied by OCR-generated text where possible, thus rendering the text searchable. The holdings of each title are browsable by date, title, and publication place, with each title cross searchable with other titles on the platform. The nature of the newspapers varies significantly from community-focused to political or military propaganda depending on the political conditions and target readership.
Featured Collections
California Asian American artists biographical survey collection, circa 1850-2007
The collection contains biographical files on more than 1000 artists active in California between 1850 and 1965, biographical files for 91 artists not active in California, and reference files. Biographical files contain exhibition records, catalogs, press coverage, and examples of art work (in the form of slides or photographs); in some cases there is also correspondence and/or interviews. Some materials may be photocopies. The reference files contain similar materials but are arranged by subject. Because of date range of the project and the nature of immigration before the 1970s, artists of Chinese and Japanese ancestry predominate in these files.
Michael Donald Brown papers, 1910-2019
The Michael Donald Brown papers contains correspondence with various Asian American artists and their estates. The materials include photographs, exhibition flyers and catalogs, newspaper clippings, artists' biographical information, booklets, research notes, exhibition history, condition reports, acquisition statements, loan agreements, provenance information, and other materials. Many of the photographs of artwork have provenance information on the back: title and date of the work, purchase or sale price, name of the artist, dimensions, medium, about the title of the work, the artist, dimensions, and other information. The collection is in original order and is primarily ordered alphabetically by artist. There is significant correspondence with Masatoyo Kishi, James Leong, Ruth Asawa (including an origami frog), Irene Poon, Hisako Hibi, Mine Okubo, Harry Wang, Tyrus Wong, Koho Yamamoto, Noriko Yamamoto and others.
Bernice Bing papers, 1957-2019
The Bernice Bing papers document the life and work of the San Franciscan Abstract Expressionist Asian American artist. The materials include journals, sketchbooks, artwork (acrylic, watercolor and oil paintings on paper, board, metal, and canvas) Chinese calligraphy on paper, prints (etchings and lithographs), correspondence, diplomas and certificates, photographs, negatives, slides, exhibition posters, newspaper clippings, art supplies (paintbrushes and pencils), ephemera, and other materials.
Ruth Asawa papers, 1926-2020, bulk 1939-2012
The papers of Japanese American artist and educator Ruth Asawa document her art and commissions as well her involvement in arts education, civic art, and art administration. The collection contains correspondence, notes, memoranda, portfolios, exhibition notices and other publicity, articles and publications, design sketches and plans, photographs, and audiovisual media.
James Leong Papers: James Leong papers, circa 1950s-1990s
This collection includes manuscript material pertaining to the life and career of American born painter James Leong, including material relating to his childhood and early life in San Francisco's Chinatown (including rich material relating to Chinese-American life and culture); material (correspondence and personal writing) relating to a subsequent career as an artist in Norway, Rome and Seattle. Material includes: diaries, printed materials (publications and sales lists of Leong's art), a guestbook for Leong's home in Rome; slides and photos and drafts of an unpublished memoir by Leong. Also includes related material by Eugene Berman, artist and stage designer and longtime friend of Leong. The collection also includes approximately eighty works of art by James Leong, mostly works on paper (lithograph, aquatint, silkscreen, and woodblock prints, mixed media, pastel or pencil drawings, posters), collographs on Masonite, and sketchbooks. Works date from the 1950s through the early 1990s.
These images of Martin Wong's work form the core of the Martin Wong Catalogue Raisonné (MWCR), a collaborative project between Stanford Libraries (SUL) and the Martin Wong Foundation. The MWCR is an online, comprehensive compilation of finished artworks by Martin Wong. It is framed by scholarly essays and includes detailed information about each individual work such as provenance, exhibition histories, and more. The essays further contextualize Wong’s work with installation documentation, photographs of the artist with his family and friends, selected personal research photographs by the artist, and various ephemera.
Martin Wong was a bi-coastal Asian American artist who was born in Portland, OR, but grew up in San Francisco, CA. He matriculated at Humboldt State University and was active in various media before relocating to New York in 1978, where his paintings were closely associated with the then burgeoning Lower East Side art scene. He returned to San Francisco in 1994, and died there of AIDS-related illness in 1999. His works are represented in prominent collections including the Chicago Art Institute, Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, M+ in Hong Kong, Minneapolis Institute of the Arts, Museum of Modern Art, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, and Whitney Museum of American Art. This collection of finished works represents the majority of his mature work along with some early examples of student work, including original artwork in ceramics, works on paper, acrylic paintings and constructions. The collection includes filmmaker Charlie Ahearn’s 18-minute profile of Wong created in the late 1980s and early 1990s, and a 1991 audio-recorded San Francisco Art Institute lecture in which Wong discusses key works and the issues that inform them.
Wylie Wong collection of May's Studio photographs and San Francisco Chinatown ephemera, 1920-1999
Photographs, prints, scrapbooks, negatives, posters, printed material, artwork and ephemera relating to May's Photography Studio and Chinese and Asian-American art, culture, and theater in San Francisco's Chinatown, circa early-mid 20th century.
Alice Fong Yu papers, 1918-2000 (inclusive), 1960-1989 (bulk)
These papers document Alice Fong Yu’s lifelong commitment to teaching and her role as a Bay Area Chinese American community leader. Included are files Yu maintained during her career with the San Francisco Unified School District; Yu’s coursework from the speech therapy program at U.C. Berkeley; professional and family correspondence; biographical materials and clippings that highlight many of Yu’s various professional and civic achievements; photograph albums and scrapbooks; administrative materials and publications relating to the Square and Circle Club, the Chinese Historical Society of America, and Berkeley Community Church; and various publications relating to Chinese and Chinese American interests and history.
Philip P. Choy papers, circa 1800s-2000s
Philip P. Choy was an author, historian and architect who pioneered the study of Chinese American history. His collection primarily consists of his research files, including notes, publications & printed ephemera, photographs, and other material.
Judy Yung papers, circa 1960s-2020
The collection consists mainly of oral histories and research files gathered throughout the span of historian Judy Yung’s career. Beginning in the 1970s, the collection mainly includes research files and oral histories from Yung’s two research fields: Angel Island and Chinese American history. Much of the collection is made up of files Yung assembled on these two fields, containing scans of primary resources, book chapters, written first-hand accounts, and photographs.
Emory M. Lee collection of Asian American papers, circa 1960-2008
Newspapers, newsletters, journals and periodicals pertaining to the Asian American experience. Includes postcards (both used and unused) depicting San Francisco's Chinatown. Emphasis is on the local San Francisco Bay Area, but also includes nationwide material. Also includes administrative material on the Stanford Asian Pacific American Alumni Club.
The Nelson and Beverly Nagai collection of Asian-American history and culture, circa 1968-1990
Publications & ephemera of late-20th century radical political activism, with an emphasis on Asian American protest movements. Includes correspondence, newspapers, pamphlets, periodicals, posters, printed matter, t-shirts, buttons, and videocassettes.
March Fong Eu papers, circa 1935-2009
The March Fong Eu papers documents the professional and political activities of March Fong Eu. The collection is approximately 43 linear feet. The collection consists of correspondence, campaign materials, fundraising, campaign finance reports, financial records, flyers, brochures, pamphlets, invitations, schedules, newspaper clippings, memorandums, textbooks, research materials, information about national and international trips, biographical information, ephemera, plaques, and awards. The materials predominantly cover her political campaigns (including fundraising and campaigning for other, predominantly Democratic, candidates), her time in the California Assembly and as California Secretary of State, and her appointment as Ambassador to the Federated States of Micronesia. The materials include her biographer's research materials and notes as well as manuscript drafts. There are also subject files, information about March Fong Eu's artwork, personal correspondence, and some personal records. There is a small amount of papers documenting her early career as a dental hygienist and serving on the Alameda County Board of Education. The papers are organized into two accession: the first accession, 2008-329, came directly from March Fong Eu, and includes photographs, artwork, memorabilia, ephemera, and media. The second accession, 2010-016, came indirectly from her biographer, Tim Vandehey, who had been using the bulk of the papers.
Yamato Ichihashi papers, 1918-1963
The collection includes reports, notes, and surveys concerning foreign relations between Japan and the West (1919-1928); uncorrected texts of the Washington Arms Limitation Conferences (1921-1922); reports and correspondence concerning the Institute of Pacific Relations, (1925); studies and surveys made by Ichihashi and others dealing with Japanese immigration to the United States; articles and reviews by Ichihashi; class notes; syllabi of his Japanese History courses; selected student papers; and Ichihashi's diaries, 1943-1963. Correspondence, notes and some memoirs of the World War II relocation of Japanese and Japanese-Americans from the West coast of the United States are also included as is a small amount of biographical material.
Materials include correspondence, notes and writing for Current Life and Rocky Shimpo, clippings, biographical documents, legal and financial records, photographs, cassettes, video recordings, computer disks, government documents related to Omura, ephemera, and more.
Mary Jane Hamachi papers, 1938-1973
This collection consists of correspondence, photographs, photo albums, school records, financial documents, certificates, and other documents. The correspondence is from Mary Jane Hamachi's family, friends, and acquaintances during World War II. Most of the correspondents were either at internment camps in the United States, such as Topaz, Yellow Springs, and Tanforan, or were enlisted in the United States Army. There are also materials that are related to George Shigeo Shimada, who served in the United States Army from 1951-1953.
Webster Wilkinson immigration legal archive, 1920s-1930s
Materials consist of documents, photographs, business cards, case files, and more related to Webster Wilkinson's work as an immigration lawyer, such as Wilkinson's correspondence with clients, partnership lists, research and interview notes, bills to clients, and correspondence from Attorney Roger O'Donnell.
Paul Louie papers, circa 1820-2004
News clippings and complete newspapers, reports, photographs, books, slides, and other documents. Most of the materials relate to Asian-American studies, with special focus Chinese in California. There are also a number of LA Chinatown souvenir books, from the 70s and 80s, a set of Chinatown News from 1974-75, and a set of books printed by the US Army used to teach Cantonese at their language school. Also houses materials from the 2003 Ming Quong and Chung Mei reunion.
Ah Louis Store records, 1886-1890
Business records from a general store run by Chinese immigrant Ah Louis in San Luis Obispo, California from 1874 to 1890. Includes bills and receipts related to his store, lotteries, letters as inventories, and different licenses for trades at the store.
Chinese American Citizens Alliance records, 1912-2005
Materials consist of documents related to the work of the Chinese American Citizens Alliance, including convention proceedings, national board minutes, new member applications, correspondence, event fliers and invitations, original publications, original tracts and position papers, booklets, photographs, ledger, rosters, copies of invoices and receipts, and more. Some specific collection areas include the administration of the national death benefits insurance program, board minutes, and dissolution proceedings of the Chinese Times Newspaper Corporation.
H. K. Wong oral history collection, circa 1966-1990
Oral histories related to Chinese immigrants and Chinese Americans in California, as well as recordings of radio interviews with Wong.
Ricardo Ocreto Alvarado archive, 1942-2018
The Ricardo Ocreto Alvarado archive consists of documents, correspondence, audiovisual, photographic and other materials. The photographic materials consist of prints, slides, and approximately 3000 negatives. The original documents are mostly official records from Ricardo Alvarado's army service. There is also a large amount of Janet Alvarado's (Ricardo Alvarado's daughter) working files, which consist of research, designs, grants, newspaper clippings, correspondence, publicity, flyers, display labels and other materials. These documents are from two exhibits she created using her father's photographs: Through My Father’s Eyes (1998-2002) and Alvarado Compositions (2014).
Consists primarily of multiple drafts of her plays, production binders, notes and journals, administrative files (involving funding, venues, auditions, etc.), audiovisual material, publicity such as posters and programs, photographs, personal writing and ephemera, and research files.
Spotlight at Stanford
Martin Wong Catalogue Raisonné
The Martin Wong Catalogue Raisonné is a free online resource featuring the paintings, drawings, poetry, and ceramics of artist Martin Wong (1946–99) In addition to detailed records of over 800 works of art, the project features new essays by scholars and curators, a comprehensive illustrated chronology, and a wealth of primary source material including revealing interviews, a 1991 recording of Wong speaking about his work, and a film portrait from the last decade of his life.
Asian American Advocacy at Stanford University
This exhibit showcases the history of Asian American advocacy at Stanford, with a focus on student activism related to fostering cultural awareness, creating protected spaces on campus, and establishing Asian American Studies as a formal academic discipline within the University.
Rise Up for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders
In response to the precipitous increase in Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI)[2] hate crimes throughout the United States, the staff of Stanford Libraries created this Spotlight exhibit about the history of systemic racism against the AAPI community. The aim of this exhibit is to help educate our community and provide support and resources so that we can start the process of healing and prevent future incidents. In this Spotlight exhibit, we discuss past events that have led to these reprehensible acts, including institutionalized policies that have pitted minority groups in our country against each other in order to weaken the other’s influence in this country.
Chinese Railroad Workers Project
The Chinese Railroad Workers in North America Project at Stanford (CRRW) seeks to give a voice to the Chinese migrants whose labor on the Transcontinental Railroad helped to shape the physical and social landscape of the American West. Between 1864 and 1869, thousands of Chinese migrants toiled at a grueling pace and in perilous working conditions to help construct America's first Transcontinental railroad. The Project began in 2012 and is a multi-year endeavor to conduct and support research in North America and Asia in order to publish new findings in print and digital formats, support new and scholarly informed school curriculum, and participate in conferences and public events. Publications as well as additional historical material are available at the project website.
Based at the Cantor Arts Center, The Asian American Art Initiative (AAAI) is dedicated to the study of artists and makers of Asian descent. The AAAI encompasses a range of activities, including: collecting and exhibiting works of Asian American/diaspora artists; preserving archival materials; fostering undergraduate and graduate education; and cultivating community collaboration and dialogue through public programming.
