HISTORICAL PRESERVATION

The Chinese American Citizens Alliance (C.A.C.A.) Historical Preservation Program is dedicated to safeguarding the rich and diverse legacy of Chinese American history. This initiative focuses on identifying, preserving, and promoting significant sites, communities, and documentation that highlight the contributions and resilience of Chinese Americans throughout history. By protecting these vital links to the past, the program ensures that the stories of triumph, struggle, and cultural heritage endure for future generations, fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation of Chinese American contributions to our nation’s history.

MAJOR PROJECTS HAVE INCLUDED:

Stanford Library

In 2015, the Alliance bestowed its National Chinese American Citizens Alliance Collection to the Department of Special Collections of the Stanford Libraries. 

"The C.A.C.A. archives are one of the richest collections of material related to Chinese American history and the organization is to be heartily congratulated and thanked for making its history available to scholars and to the public. It is an incredible and unrivaled mine of primary source material,” said Dr. Gordon H. Chang, the Olive H. Palmer Professor in the Humanities and Professor of American history at Stanford University, and co-director of the Chinese Railroad Workers in North America project. 

In 2019, work began on processing, translating and digitalizing the more than 200 linear feet of records which are in Chinese and English. The documents which span more than a century have a tremendous research potential for scholars, will be searchable at the Stanford Library. 

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.

Link to Stanford Catalog of C.A.C.A. Records

Summit Tunnel

C.A.C.A. is collaborating with the 1882 Foundation to secure National Historic Landmark designation for the Summit Tunnel that Chinese railroad workers built.

The Transcontinental Railroad played a crucial role in the coast-to-coast development of the United States. Between 12,000 and 20,000 workers, many of whom were skilled laborers from China, were essential in constructing the Central Pacific Railroad as it crossed the steep Sierra Nevada mountains. These mountains were so difficult to navigate that no other group could manage it.

The most challenging sections of the route, known as the Cape Horn granite roadway and Summit Tunnel passages through Donner Summit, are especially notable in history. The Summit Tunnel, which stretches 1,659 feet, was one of the longest tunnels of its time and a significant engineering feat. Around 100 Chinese workers, using picks, shovels, explosives, and their labor, managed to dig through this tunnel.

The completion of this tunnel system, which included fifteen tunnels over 62 miles at an altitude of nearly 7,000 feet, was an extraordinary accomplishment. The Chinese workers endured severe hardships, including two brutal winters in the high-altitude Sierra Nevada.

The historical site includes a Chinese work camp and a lasting Chinese wall of remarkable construction.

Therefore, the Chinese American Citizens Alliance, including both national and local lodges, is committed to supporting the nomination of the Summit Tunnel Historical Site for National Monument status. Additionally, the National Board of Officers and Local Lodges will work to educate the public about the vital role that Chinese Americans played in the construction and maintenance of the Transcontinental Railroad and America’s railroad system.

In December 2024, the Department of the Interior committee on National Historic Landmarks and Monuments approved National Historic Landmark status for the Summit Tunnel Camp. The Secretary of the Interior, Deb Haaland, is expected to announce the decision in January 2025. Following the designation, the plan is to promote an Interpretive Center at the Summit Tunnel site and an Archiving Center in Sacramento or Fresno.

View from Gold Mountain

"View from Gold Mountain" commemorates the landmark historic Chinese American civil rights case, Territory of New Mexico v. Yee Shun (1882). Sui G. Wong, OD, MPH, and president of the Chinese American Citizens Alliance has been steadfast in her belief that this triumph for social justice be shared with the world. She began this journey in 2013, first by approaching the City of Albuquerque, then petitioning the New Mexico State Legislature in both 2014 and 2015 to secure funding for the art piece.

By 2016, there was a total of $255,000 from the state for the project. The City of Albuquerque and Bernalillo County have contributed an additional $20,000 and $30,000 respectively to complete the work. Her commitment and tenacity are realized today, January 11, 2020, as "View from Gold Mountain" is dedicated here at the Bernalillo County Courthouse.

To learn more about the "View from Gold Mountain" and the symbolism, visit https://purplemoondesign.com/view-from-gold-mountain.php

Support and participation in organizations promoting preservation of Chinatowns across the United States, including the Rural Chinatown and Hidden Sites Conference, Asian & Pacific Islander Americans in Historic Preservation, and the National Trust for Historic Preservation, among others.