Susan G. Dickson Collection2022.M.1.Dickson
Chinese Historical Society of Southern California
Contributing Institution:
Chinese Historical Society of Southern California
Title: Susan G. Dickson Collection
Creator:
Susan Dickson
Identifier/Call Number: 2022.M.1.Dickson
Physical Description:
1.42 Linear Feet
Date (bulk): 2005-2007
Abstract: In 2005 MTA unearthed a Potters Cemetery when widening the street during Goldline construction in East LA. This portion of
the cemetery contained 118 graves. One fourth of the gravesites were determined to be Chinese. The Susan G. Dickson collection
contains MTA community meeting materials, newspaper articles, photographs, video, and 4 years of emails. These emails reveal
the discussion within the Chinese community of what to do with the artifacts and remains. Once the MTA committee determined
that everything was to be reburied, the emails detail the decision-making process of choosing a section in Evergreen Cemetery,
choosing the wording for the memorial wall and the historic plaque, choosing the fonts for the memorial wall, and choosing
the wording for the grave markers for the Chinese reburials.
Language of Material:
English
, Chinese
.
This collection is arranged on a series and subseries level.
The collection is separated into six (6) series: Red line, gold line, high schools, meetings, maps and blueprints, and newspapers
and articles. Both the Gold Line series and the Meetings series are arranged on a subseries level: reports, photographs, brochures
and pamphlets, letters and correspondence and MTA, CHSSC, and motions.
SERIES I. Red Line
SERIES II. Gold Line
SUBSERIES II.A: Reports
SUBSERIES II.B: Photographs
SUBSERIES II.C: Brochures and Pamphlets
SUBSERIES II.D: Letters and Correspondence
SERIES III. High Schools
SERIES IV. Meetings
SUBSERIES IV.A: MTA
SUBSERIES IV.B: CHSSC
SUBSERIES IV.C: Motions
SERIES V. Maps and Blueprints
SERIES VI. Newspapers and Articles
Susan Dickson started teaching in Chinatown in 1981 at Castelar Elementary School, where she taught students with a variety
of backgrounds. Many of her students were from immigrant families originally from Hong Kong, Vietnam, and Cambodia. An exhibit
highlighting her students' work was on display in 1997 and 1999 at The Autry Museum of Western Heritage, as a part of their
year-long museum classroom project. In addition, Susan was awarded a Save Our History award from the History Channel in 2002,
where she was one of 50 teachers nation-wide who participated. This work allowed her to collaborate with the Chinese American
Museum, and was on display for three years. Susan is active and present in the Chinatown community by being on the board at
the Chinese Historical Society of Southern California (CHSSC) for 27 years, and has been appointed president for six years.
She is rounding out her 30th year of being on the board for Friends of the Chinatown Library, and has been on the national
board of the civil rights group, Chinese American Citizens, since 2011.
This collection is open to researchers and to the public for access. Please contact the Chinese Historical Soceity of Southern
California for more information.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Recieved as a donation from Susan Dickson in 2022.
[Item], Susan G. Dickson Collection, Chinese Historical Society of Southern California, Los Angeles, California.
The Chinese Historical Society of Southern California acquired the collection from the donation of CHSSC's current President,
Susan Dickson, in 2022. Her involvement in ensuring a proper burial from the Chinese community back in the years this occurred,
was preserved in this collection, now to be preserved within CHSSC's archive.
As part of the CHSSC Archive's mission to pursue, preserve, and communicate knowledge of the history of Chinese Americans
in Southern California, The Susan G. Dickson Collection serves as a valuable addition for future researchers, scholars, and
community members who are interested in the historical aspects of Chinese burial traditions with death and post-death beliefs,
Chinese artifacts, Los Angeles city and urban planning projects, and the closure gained to the Chinese community in receiving
a proper burial. In addition, this collection serves as a great extension of CHSSC's own history, where many voices were heard
to do what was best for the Chinese community, and where several documents of correspondence were preserved.
Amanda Galvez processed the collection circa 2022, starting with gaining familiarity with the materials housed in two boxes.
She then categorized and placed like materials together within each box, loosely grouping, which eventually became our series
and subseries headings. She developed six series, and seven subseries, and placed materials into numbered folders inside
the boxes where they were originally found.
Once the materials were identified and put into labeled folders, the two boxes were labeled, and moved accordingly. Many of
the documents are housed in their original order, which is important for the integrity of the collection.
This collection includes several letters and emails of correspondence between CHSSC members, CHSSC members and archeologists,
CHSSC members and MTA members, and CHSSC members and community members, artifact catalog spreadsheets, photographs, reports
on CD, and hard documents of: reports, meeting notes/agendas/ motions, newspaper articles, maps and blueprints, pamphlets,
brochures, grave marker inscriptions, and documents pertaining to the Evergreen Cemetery Memorial wall.
The bulk of the documents revolve around the Los Angeles Metro Gold Line's Eastside Extension Project, and briefly touches
on the Metro Red Line project, and Central LA High School #9 project- all pertaining to construction sites unearthing Chinese
burial sites.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Los Angeles (Calif.)- History
Cemeteries
Transportation Engineering
box 1, folder 1
box 2, folder 2, 7, 12-16
Gold Line 2005-2010
Language of Material: English.
Cemetery reports, grave marker inscriptions, preservation policy statement, deed, artifact catalog, CD reports, photographs,
other materials.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Los Angeles (Calif.)- History
City Planning- California- Los Angeles
Los Angeles (Calif.)- Buildings, Structures, etc.
Ceremonial Objects
Cemeteries
Transportation Engineering
Catalogs
Artifacts
Meetings
box 1, folder 4-5, box 2, folder 9, 26-27
Reports 2005-2010
box 2, folder 4
box 2, folder 10, 26
box 2, folder 17-20, 25-26
Letters and Correspondence 2005-2010
Language of Material: English.
Contains mail and email documents between CHSSC members, MTA members, archeologists, and community members.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Cemeteries
Ceremonial Objects
City Planning- California- Los Angeles
Letters
Correspondence
Electronic Mail Messages
box 1, folder 2, box 2, folder 8
High Schools 2005-2007
Language of Material: English.
Central LA High School #9 archeological project documents and Ramona Opportunity High School preservation handout.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Los Angeles (Calif.)- Buildings, Structures, etc.
City Planning- California- Los Angeles
High School Facilities
box 1, folder 3, 6, box 2, folder 5-6, 21-26
Meetings 2005-2010
Language of Material: English.
All documents pertaining to meetings regarding the Metro Goldline Eastside Extension Project.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
City Planning- California- Los Angeles
Cemeteries
Meetings
Advisory Boards
Board Meetings
Agendas
Meeting Minutes
Presentations
Handouts
box 1, folder 3, box 2, folder 5, 21-26
box 1, folder 6, box 2, folder 6, 26
box 2, folder 1
box 2, folder 11, 25
box 2, folder 3, 25-26
Newspapers and Articles 2005-2010
Language of Material: Chinese, English.
Newspaper clippings and articles regarding the Metro Goldline, Evergreen Cemetery, the Los Angeles County Crematorium, the
Metro Redline, and the historical preservation of the Shrine.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Los Angeles (Calif.)- Newspapers
Cemeteries
Transportation Engineering