Survey of Race Relations records, 1905-1934

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Summary

Creators:
Survey of Race Relations
Abstract:
An anthropological investigative project sponsored by various private organizations, the Survey of Race Relations records include a report, correspondence, interview transcripts, questionnaires, and printed matter relating to the social and economic status of Chinese, Japanese, other Asian, Mexican, and other minority residents of the Pacific Coast of the United States and Canada, and to race relations on the Pacific Coast.
Extent:
38 manuscript boxes (15.2 Linear Feet)
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Survey of Race Relations records, [Box no., Folder no. or title], Hoover Institution Library & Archives.

Background

Scope and content:

Completed life-history questionnaires comprise the greatest bulk and are the "raw data" of the collection. In addition, there are numerous open-ended personal reflections, financial records, conference reports, meeting notes, bibliographies, printed materials and miscellaneous other findings of the Survey. The original manuscript of Mears' book Resident Orientals on the American Pacific Coast: Their Legal and Economic Status is also included in the collection.

The following items are missing documents from the original accession; the items would have been a part of the Minor Documents series: 1 (items #53-54 out of the 102 interviews in that folder 1), 4-9, 11, 13-17, 19-21, 23, 25-30, 32-36, 39, 49-50, 67-74, 81, 83, 85, 89-90, 92, 94-100, 102-105, 107-118, 120-122, 125-130, 132-145, 147-148, 150-151, 153-161, 163, 166-172, 174-175, 178, 184-186, 195-249, 257-260, 263, 268, 274, 294-312.

The classification titles and codes of the documents as established by the Survey of Race Relations can be found below under File Plan.

Biographical / historical:

In the early 1920s, a group of scholars set out to make an investigation of economic, religious, educational, civic, biological, and social conditions among Chinese, Japanese, and other non-European residents of the Pacific Coast of the United States and Canada. Extension of the study into northern Mexico and Hawaii was contemplated as well. The Survey had its administrative and research headquarters at Stanford University under the chairmanship of President Ray Lyman Wilbur and was under the research directorship first of Stanford professor Eliot G. Mears and subsequently of the Chicago sociologist, Robert E. Park. The Survey received important financial support and collaboration from the Institute of Social and Religious Research.

In the words of Mears, Executive Secretary, "The Survey seeks to impose no program, advocates no specific policy, and champions no special interest. It aims to find the facts, and all the facts, and plans to make them accessible to the public." The findings were to be published in a series of volumes edited by Dr. Park.

After only one publication ("Tentative Findings of the Survey of Race Relations," edited by Mears), the Survey ran out of money, and research was discontinued.

Later, Mears wrote a book based on the work of the Survey entitled, Resident Orientals on the American Pacific Coast: Their Legal and Economic Status, 1928.

Acquisition information:
Materials were acquired by the Hoover Institution Library Archives in 1961.
Physical location:
Hoover Institution Library & Archives
File plan:

File Plan: Classification Titles

Classification titles and codes of the documents as established by the Survey of Race Relations

I. Americanization: Am a) Second generation (2nd Gen) b) Family problems (F. P.) c) Accommodation (Accom.) d) Vocational problems (Voc.) e) Education (Ed.) f) Naturalization (Nat.)

II. Communities: Com. a) Organization of (Org.) b) Activities c) Standards of living (S. L.)

III. Competition and Land: Comp. a) Agriculture (Agric.) b) Land ownership (Land Own.) c) Labor d) Cropping contract (C. C.) e) Business (Bus.) f) Employment contract (Employ. C.)

IV. Good-Will: G. W. a) Religious activities (Relig.) b) Friendship

V. Heritages: Her. a) Oriental/Asiatic (O.) b) Chinese (C.) c) Japanese (J.) d) East Indian (E. I.) e) Filipino (F.) f) Mexican (M.) g) Korean (K.) h) Hindu (H.) i) Tongs

VI. Intermarriage: Int. a) Eurasian child

VII. Investigations: Inv. a) Statistics (Stat.) b) Legislation (Legis.) c) Historical (Hist.)

VIII. Life Histories: L. H. a) Oriental/Asiatic (O.) b) Chinese (C.) c) Japanese (J.) d) East Indian (E. I.) e) Filipino (F.) f) Mexican (M.) g) Korean (K.) h) Hindu (H.) i) Tongs

IX. Population: Pop. a) Immigration (Im.) b) Vital statistics c) Distribution d) Movement (Mvt.)

X. Race Consciousness: R. C. a) Conflict b) Prejudice (Prej.) c) Discrimination d) Public opinion (Pub. Op.) e) Political tension (P. T.)

XI. Racial Traits: R. T. a) Oriental/Asiatic (O.) b) Chinese (C.) c) Japanese (J.) d) East Indian (E. I.) e) Filipino (F.) f) Mexican (M.) g) Korean (K.) h) Hindu (H.) i) Tongs j) American (A.)

XII. Social Disorganization: S. D. a) Vice and crime (V. C.) b) Poverty c) Disease d) Prostitution (Prost.) e) Gambling f) Delinquency

XIII. Other a) Organization (Organiz.) b) Illegal entry (Ill. Entry) c) Industry (Ind.)

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

The collection is open for research; materials must be requested in advance via our reservation system. If there are audiovisual or digital media material in the collection, they must be reformatted before providing access.

Terms of access:

For copyright status, please contact the Hoover Institution Library & Archives.

Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Survey of Race Relations records, [Box no., Folder no. or title], Hoover Institution Library & Archives.

Location of this collection:
Hoover Institution Library & Archives, Stanford University
Stanford, CA 94305-6003, US
Contact:
(650) 723-3563
hooverarchives@stanford.edu
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