Him Mark Lai research files, addition

Finding aid created by Ethnic Studies Library staff using RecordEXPRESS
UC Berkeley. Ethnic Studies Library
University of California, Berkeley, Dept. of Ethnic Studies, 30 Stephens Hall #2630
Berkeley, California 94720-2360
(510) 643-1234
esl@library.berkeley.edu
http://eslibrary.berkeley.edu/
2014


Descriptive Summary

Title: Him Mark Lai research files, addition
Dates: (bulk 1970-2008)
Collection Number: AAS ARC 2010/1
Creator/Collector: Lai, H. Mark
Extent: 131.22 linear feet (95 cartons, 33 boxes, 7 oversize folders)
Repository: UC Berkeley. Ethnic Studies Library
Berkeley, California 94720-2360
Abstract: 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.
Language of Material: English

Access

Collection open for research.

Publication Rights

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.

Preferred Citation

Him Mark Lai research files, addition. UC Berkeley. Ethnic Studies Library

Acquisition Information

Gift of Mrs. Laura Lai, May 27, 2010.

Biography/Administrative History

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).

Scope and Content of Collection

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.

Indexing Terms

Chinese Americans - California - History.
Chinese - Foreign countries.
Discrimination - United States.
Genealogy.
Chinese Americans - Biography.
Chinese - Biography.
Chinese Americans - Social life and customs.
Chinese Americans - Societies.
Chinese Americans - Politics and government.
Ethnology - China.
Chinatown (San Francisco, Calif.)
China - Emigration and immigration.
China - Politics and government.
Clippings.

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