Dolores Wong Collection, 1976-2010 (bulk 1976-1987), 2024, undated, 2024, Undated, bulk 1976-1987

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Summary

Title:
Dolores Wong Collection
Dates:
1976-2010 (bulk 1976-1987), 2024, undated, 2024, Undated, bulk 1976-1987
Creators:
Wong, Dolores
Extent:
0.44 Linear Feet 1 Hollinger box
Language:
English , Chinese .
Preferred citation:

Dolores Wong Collection, Chinese Historical Society of Southern California.

Background

Scope and content:

Contains programs, articles, handwritten notes, correspondence, planning documents, and photographs related to Wong's activities and any awards or honors that she received or awarded to others. Many of the materials particularly reference her work with the Friends of the Chinatown Library. Printed scans of newspaper articles are provided in the folders and digitized copies are available separately.

Biographical / historical:

Dolores Wong (1921-2014) was an award-winning activist who particularly focused on supporting local education and addressing issues affecting Los Angeles' Chinatown and the surrounding Chinese American community. She was especially well known for her grassroots work to establish the Chinatown Library in Los Angeles.

Wong was born in Vallejo, California and was the first person in her family to graduate from college, receiving a B.A. in Psychology at the University of California, Berkeley and then an M.A. in Psychiatric Social work from Smith College. After graduate school, Wong worked in New Orleans, Louisiana as a social worker at a child guidance clinic until marrying her husband Delbert Wong (1920-2006) who would go on to become the first judge of Chinese descent in the United States. After marriage, Wong worked in Sacramento, California at the State Mental Hygiene Clinic as a psychiatric social worker until retiring after the birth of her children. She began her activist work with organizations like the Boy Scouts of America, United Way, March of Dimes, and the Griffith Park Coordinating Council, as well as her church and the PTA. She also held leadership positions for several years with organizations like the Resthaven Mental Health Center, Chinatown Teen Post, and Asian American Friends of the Center Theatre Group and served on an ad hoc committee to create a Chinatown branch of the Los Angeles Public Library. Once the Chinatown branch was established in 1983, Wong helped to organize the Friends of the Chinatown Library. She was also an active member of many local organizations, including the Chinese American Citizens Alliance (CACA) Women's Auxiliary, the Chinese Historical Society of Southern California (CHSSC), and Dedicated Older Volunteers in the Education System (DOVES) among others. Her political activities included helping to charter the Chinatown Democratic Club and serving as a member of Mayor Tom Bradley's Asian-Pacific American Heritage Week committee. Wong was honoured for the extensive activist work she undertook throughout her life by various organizations and, notably, received a National Volunteer Activist Award in 1979. She passed away in 2014 and in 2021 a plaque was placed in her honour in the Dolores Wong Plaza at the corner of Cesar Chavez Boulevard and Grand Avenue in Los Angeles.

Processing information:

The Dolores Wong collection was processed primarily by Michaela Telfer, an archival intern, during which the materials were inventoried, arranged, rehoused, and documented in ArchivesSpace. The materials had no meaningful original order, so paper materials were organized into folders by topic and then ordered chronologically with undated materials placed at the front of the folder. Photographs were separated into their own folder, placed into archival sleeves, and organized by event, chronologically, or in original order based on contextual information available. Duplicate photographs were retained and kept together. A handwritten inventory was provided along with several photographs and is retained within the photographs folder. Materials were removed from original envelopes and materials contained together within an envelope were placed in paper sleeves. All newspaper clippings were digitized, and access copies were printed off and inserted into the collection folders in the appropriate places. Original newspaper clippings have been retained and separated into their own folder. Two scholarship applications for The Dolores Wong Library Science Scholarship were deaccessioned as they had little relevance to the collection and contained extensive personal information. Duplicates of form letters in the folder relating to Wong's 88th Birthday were discarded.

Arrangement:

This collection is arranged in three series: Series 1: Awards and Honor Series 2: Other Activities Series 3: Photographs and Newspaper Clippings

About this collection guide

Collection Guide Author:
Michaela Telfer
Date Encoded:
This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2025-11-24 19:47:33 +0000 .

Access and use

Restrictions:

This collection is open to researchers and to the public for access. Please contact the Chinese Historical Society of Southern California for more information.

Preferred citation:

Dolores Wong Collection, Chinese Historical Society of Southern California.

Location of this collection:
411 and 415 Bernard Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012, US
Contact:
(323) 222-0856
info@chssc.org
Website