Description
The research files are an addition to (AAS ARC 2000/80) Him Mark Lai's collected sources, along with his writings and professional
activity materials. They relate to the history, communities, and organizations of Chinese Americans and Chinese overseas.
The collection is arranged into four series: Research Files, including general subjects, people, and organizations; Writings,
including books, articles, reviews, and indexes; Professional activities, including teaching lectures, Chinese Community Hour
program tapes, In Search of Roots program materials, consultation projects, interviews with Chinese Americans, conference
and community events; Personal, including memorial tributes and family papers. The collection consists of manuscripts, papers,
drafts, indexes, correspondence, organization records, reports, legal documents, yearbooks, announcements, articles, newspaper
samples, newspaper clippings, publications, photographs slides, maps, and audio tapes.
Background
Him Mark Lai was born in San Francisco on November 1, 1925. Although professionally trained as a mechanical engineer, graduate
of the University of California, Berkeley, he is internationally known as a community activist and historian and highly respected
by academic peers, who refer to him as the "Dean of Chinese American History." Early on, Lai joined the Chinese American Democratic
Youth League, or Mun Ching, where he met and married Laura Jung. He was a community leader and served in an official capacity
for many organizations, particularly the Chinese Historical Society of America (CHSA) and the Chinese Culture Foundation of
San Francisco. He taught Asian American Studies courses at San Francisco State University, coordinated the In Search of Roots
program with Albert Cheng, served as editor of Chinese America: History & Perspectives, participated in numerous conferences
relating to Chinese Americans and Chinese overseas, and served as advisor or consultant on projects and publications. Lai
was also a prolific writer whose works include: Chinese Newspapers in North America, 1854-1975 (1977), co-authored with Karl
Lo; Island: Poetry and History of Chinese Immigrants on Angel Island, 1910-1940 (1980), with Judy Yung and Giny Lim; A History
Reclaimed: An Annotated Bibliography of Chinese Language Materials on the Chinese of America (1986); From Overseas Chinese
to Chinese American: History of Development of Chinese American Society during the Twentieth Century (1992, written in Chinese);
and Becoming Chinese American: A History of Communities and Institutions (2004).
Extent
131.22 linear feet (95 cartons, 33 boxes, 7 oversize folders)
Restrictions
Materials in this collection may be protected by the U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.). In addition, the reproduction
of some materials may be restricted by terms of the University of California gift or purchase agreements, donor restrictions,
privacy and publicity rights, licensing and trademarks. Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by copyright beyond
that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owner. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively
with the user. All requests to reproduce, publish, quote from, or otherwise use collection materials must be submitted in
writing to the curator, Ethnic Studies Library, University of California, Berkeley 94720-2360.
Availability
Collection open for research.