CHSA Panel Discussion: The Geary Act Project

In bringing Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month to a close, the Chinese Historical Society of America (CHSA) presents a panel discussion about a hidden chapter of American history when the 1892 Geary Act required all Chinese in America to carry certificates of residence during the exclusion era of the U.S. Chinese residents were mandated to carry these certificates as proof of legal entry and the right to remain in the country.

This presentation with CHCP Advisory Board Member Connie Young Yu and Barre Fong addresses the "paper trail" of Chinese exclusion and the documentation of Chinese American history. They will discuss the Geary Act Project, a history archival project aimed at collecting public Geary Act certificates of residence, or "yellow cards," kept by descendants of Chinese pioneers and "persons other than laborer." The purpose of the Project is to reveal a hidden chapter in American history about an unconstitutional act toward a race of people, with far reaching consequences: for truth and justice, for today, for all.

The program will include a discussion with keynote speaker Gordon Chang, professor of the first Asian American history course at Stanford University and author of "Ghosts of Gold Mountain, The Epic Story of the Chinese Who Built the Transcontinental Railroad." Gordon will recount the journey of Asian American studies and the importance of archiving and documentation.

A Q&A session will follow the presentation.

This program will be livestreamed at: https://www.youtube.com/@CHSAmuseum/streams

A recording of the event will be shared and posted on CHSA's YouTube channel.

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