Cheng Lecture: The Chinese in the Huntington Archives: Hiding in Plain Sight

Mae Ngai, professor of history at Columbia University, explores The Huntington's collections on the history of the American West, which include some scattered references and trace notices of Chinese.

The Chinese have been a part of California's history since the time of the gold rush, but they are not always visible in historical records. Mae Ngai, professor of history at Columbia University, explores The Huntington's collections on the history of the American West, which include some scattered references and trace notices of Chinese. While this presents us with a treasure trove of materials that can help us understand Chinese American life in California during the early 20th century, much of the material remains challenging. How can we best research the social history of the Chinese in these collections?