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Presbyterian Church in Chinatown, San Francisco, Historical Documentation Project Records
BANC MSS 2005/174 c
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Table of contents
Contributing Institution:
The Bancroft Library
Title: Presbyterian Church in Chinatown, San Francisco, Historical Documentation Project records
Creator:
Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A., Presbytery of San Francisco. Chinatown (San Francisco, Calif.)
Identifier/Call Number: BANC MSS 2005/174 c
Physical Description:
8.5 linear feet
(6 cartons, 1 oversize box, 2 boxes, 8 oversize folders)
Date (inclusive): 1848-2006
Date (inclusive): undated
Date (bulk): 1960-2003
Abstract: The Historical Documentation Project (HDoc) materials spanning the dates of 1848 to 2004 were donated by Presbyterian Church
in Chinatown (PCC), San Francisco, pastors, officers, and members. They contain the background information and records of
the project; All-Church records; papers of Pastor Franz S. Wichman which includes some photographs and historical information
of the Cameron House, Pastor Harry Chuck's files relating to his participation on the Mei Lun Yuen Housing Project, and Pastor
Calvin Chinn's coursework and sermons. Also included are materials relating to activities within the English, Mandarin, and
Cantonese congregations with the majority of materials in English and some in Chinese. Materials generated as part of the
goals to document the church community's history for the project such as interview transcripts with corresponding audio/visual
tapes and photographs taken of church activities were produced between 2001 and 2004. The collection consists of correspondence,
organization records, minutes, reports, sermons, papers, ordination materials, orders of worship, articles, newsletters, newsclippings,
architectural drawings and plans, photographs, negatives, and slides.
Physical Location: Many of the Bancroft Library collections are stored offsite and advance notice may be required for use. For current information
on the location of these materials, please consult the library's online catalog.
Language of Material: Collection materials are in English and Chinese
Collection is open for research.
Additions are expected.
TThe Presbyterian Church in Chinatown, San Francisco, Historical Documentation Project Records was given to The Bancroft Library
by the Presbyterian Church in Chinatown, San Francisco on July 30, 2004. Additions gifted to The Bancroft Library by Reverend
Calvin Chinn in 2019.
There are no alternate forms of this collection.
Presbyterian Church in Chinatown, San Francisco
The Presbyterian Church in Chinatown (PCC) located in San Francisco, California is the oldest Asian American Christian congregation
in North America and also the first Chinese Protestant church to be established outside China. Designated a "foreign mission"
by the Presbyterian denomination, the church opened its doors at 925 Stockton Street on November 6, 1853 with four members
under the leadership of the Reverend Dr. William Speer. It was not until 1925 that jurisdiction of the church was transferred
from the Board of Foreign Mission to the Board of National Missions. In 1947, the Board formalized a plan whereby the social
work and community youth work mission of Donaldina Cameron House were united with the mission of the church. Reverend Franz
"Dick" Wichman served as both the Director of Cameron House and co-pastor of the church until 1977. This connection enhanced
the ministries of both through the sharing of facilities, resources, and leadership.
After changing its name from the Presbyterian Chinese Mission Church, the congregation continued to be know as the Chinese
Presbyterian Church until 1958, when the current name emphasizing the church's recognition of its social context was adopted
by its members. PCC is one church with three congregations: English, Cantonese, and Mandarin. Out of this community came the
first English/Chinese bilingual newspaper in the country, the first public school serving the early immigrant Chinese population
in the United States, and the first Chinese daily newspaper in the country. The church also produced some of the earliest
Chinese seminarians and pastors; was an early champion of women's rights, examining the intersection of gender, race, and
class issues; and led the way in religiously based social activism among Asian American communities in the 1960s. The emphasis
on youth and leadership training at Donaldina Cameron House and the church continues the mission of establishing strong lay
and pastoral leadership to meet the needs of a growing Chinese American population throughout San Francisco.
Historical Documentation Project
The Historical Documentation Project (HDoc) is an initiative to establish an archive document history of an Asian American
faith community, focusing on the Presbyterian Church in Chinatown (PCC) as the project site in recognition of its importance
as the first Asian American church in North America, founded in 1853. Because of the absence of documented history of PCC,
the project initiated a three-step process: Production, Preservation, and Presentation. The HDoc will produce new records
in the forms of oral history interviewing, photographs, and videotapes; preserve organization materials gathered, arranged,
and housed at The Bancroft Library for long-term safekeeping with full public access for research and educationa purposes;
and present interpretative materials to showcase the resources gathered by the project and emphasize the importance of documents
of this type of community history.
The HDoc project, funded by the Rockefeller Foundation, began on July 1, 2002 as a two-year partnership among the Institute
for Leadership Development and Study of Pacific and Asian North American Religion (PANA), the Presbyterian Church in Chinatown,
San Francisco (PCC), and The Bancroft Library at the University of California, Berkeley. The project has become the HDoc Committee
of the PCC who will continue to administer the three-step process and carry out the mission of maintaining an archive document
history of the church and its community.
[Identification of item], Presbyterian Church in Chinatown, San Francisco, Historical Documentation Project Records, BANC
MSS 2005/174 c, The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley.
Processed by Janice Otani in 2005. Additions processed by Bancroft Staff in 2022-2023.
Presbyterian Church in Chinatown, San Francisco, Historical Documantation Project records [graphic], BANC PIC 2005.073.
Scope and Content of Collection
The Historical Documentation Project (HDoc) materials spanning the dates of 1848 to 2004 were donated by Presbyterian Church
in Chinatown (PCC), San Francisco, pastors, officers, and members. They contain the background information and records of
the project; All-Church records; papers of Pastor Franz S. Wichman which includes some photographs and historical information
of the Donaldina Cameron House, Pastor Harry Chuck's files relating to his participation on the Mei Lun Yuen Housing Project,
and Pastor Calvin Chinn's coursework and sermons. Also included are materials relating to activities within the English, Mandarin,
and Cantonese congregations with the majority of materials in English and some in Chinese. Materials generated as part of
the goals to document the church community's history for the project such as interview transcripts with corresponding audio/visual
tapes and photographs taken of church activities were produced between 2001 and 2004. The collection consists of correspondence,
organization records, minutes, reports, sermons, papers, ordination materials, orders of worship, articles, newsletters, newsclippings,
architectural drawings and plans, photographs, negatives, and slides.
The HDoc Project series contain articles describing the project and its mission written by Director, Christopher Chua, and
session meeting minutes, exhibition materials, and an itemized donor list. Also included are transcripts of interviews conducted
by Chua with Reverend Calvin Chinn and Reverend Bradford Woo, as well as church members Sharlene Hall, Jean Low, Winchell
Quock, and Jennette Wei. Audio/visual tapes of the interviews have been transferred to the Microforms Collections of The Bancroft
Library. The HDoc-Specific Photographic Series (2001-2004) documenting church gatherings and events have been transferred
to the Pictorial Collections of The Bancroft Library along with photographs donated to the project which document the history
of the church and congregation events dating from 1872 to 2003.
The All-Church records include bylaws; organization information; correspondence; minutes of sessions and committees;ordination
and installation orders of worship; membership information; reports; materials relating to Mei Lun Yuen Housing Project and
Yook Yau Ji Ga Daycare; yearbooks; brochures; and programs of church anniversaries and activities; proposals and documents
for the new church building/renovation along with architectural drawings and plans; publications of PCC and articles relating
to the church.
Pastor Franz S. Wichman's papers (1856-1996) include his files accummulated during his thirty-years of service to PCC and
Donaldina Cameron House from 1947 to 1977. They consist of correspondence, Donaldina Cameron House historical information,
sermons, and materials relating to PCC services and events. There are also
Kith 'n Kin newsletters written by Wichman to the congregation as well as other related newspaper articles mentioning PCC, and miscellany.
Pastor Harry Chuck's files (1970-1975) collected as Co-Director of the Chinatown Coalition for Better Housing (CCBH) for the
Mei Lun Yuen Housing Project include correspondence, agreements, minutes, press releases, a photograph, and newsclippings.
Pastor Calvin Chinn's papers (1963-2001) include coursework while attending the San Francisco Theological Seminary and ordination
exam materials. The bulk of his papers consist of sermons dating from 1983 to 2001.
The English, Mandarin, and Cantonese congregation records include correspondence, development proposals, mission statements,
bylaws, reports, minutes, orders of worship, and materials relating to retreats, conferences, fellowships and individual members.
Also included are newsletters and other publications.
Ledger of accounts, ca 1910-1921; Kindergarten Register, 1916-1921, and Primary Register, 1918-1924; Session Minutes, 1909-1995,
retained by the Church and available on microfilm with call number BANC FILM 2766 at The Bancroft Library. Photographs not
integral to the collection have been transferred to Pictorial Collection of The Bancroft Library, BANC PIC 2005.073. Audio/visual
tapes have been transferred to the Microforms Collection of The Bancroft Library.
Copyright has not been assigned to The Bancroft Library. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts
must be submitted in writing to the Head of Public Services. Permission for publication is given on behalf of The Bancroft
Library as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which
must also be obtained by the reader.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. Presbytery of San Francisco--Archives
Chua, Christopher V., 1966-
Chinese churches--California--San Francisco
Chinese Americans--Religious life
Chinese--Missions--California--San Francisco
Chinese Americans--California--San Francisco Bay Area--Religion
Clergy--California--San Francisco Bay Area
Presbyterian Church--California--San Francisco
Chinese--California--San Francisco
San Francisco (Calif.)--Churches