Guide to the Photographs related to the New China Club Casino in Reno, Nevada and the Bay Area Golf Club of Oakland, California
M2288
Malgorzata Schaefer
Department of Special Collections and University Archives
February 2018
Green Library
557 Escondido Mall
Stanford 94305-6064
specialcollections@stanford.edu
Language of Material:
English
Contributing Institution:
Department of Special Collections and University Archives
Title: Photographs related to the New China Club Casino in Reno, Nevada and the Bay Area Golf Club of Oakland, California
source:
Nat Desmarais Rare Books
Identifier/Call Number: M2288
Physical Description:
0.25 Linear Feet
(1 box)
Date (inclusive): circa 1955-1960
Biographical / Historical
The New China Club was opened in 1952 by Bill Fong, a Chinese immigrant to the United States who had learned the gambling
trade in Macao and soon after emigrated to the US and served in the army during the Second World War. The casino operated
until the end of 1971. When Fong opened his club, African-Americans and Asian-Americans were not allowed into the big casinos
of Nevada. Fong catered to this market and was one of the first, if not the very first, to do so in Reno. Fong operated the
first legal fan-tan and pai-gow games in the state. Fong also began the Fong Open golfing tournament to give Asian and African
Americans gamblers a chance to play golf in Reno for a real casino event. The second part of this archive concerns the African
American Bay Area Golf Club in Oakland, California. The Bay Area Golf Club was part of the Western Sates Golf Association
and their course was in Oakland. The Western Sates Golf Association was one of the oldest predominately African American golfing
organizations in the country, founded in 1953 to promote and advance the interest of African Americans in the world of golf.
Scope and Contents
Materials consist primarily of black-and-white photographs related to the New China Club of Reno, Nevada, and the Bay Area
Golf Club of Oakland, California. The New China Club photos include images of Bill Fong, the Fong Open, African American contestants
participating in Fong's Keno Queen beauty contest, and African American golfing contestants and winners. The Bay Area Golf
club photos includes images of black golfers, both male and female. Also includes newspaper clippings and photos on scrapbook
pages.
Conditions Governing Access
Open for research. Note that material must be requested at least 36 hours in advance of intended use.
Conditions Governing Use
While Special Collections is the owner of the physical items, permission to examine collection materials is not an authorization
to publish. These materials are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study. Any transmission or reproduction
beyond that allowed by fair use requires permission from the owners of rights, heir(s) or assigns. See: http://library.stanford.edu/spc/using-collections/permission-publish.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Purchase; 2017. Accession MSS 2017-374.
Preferred Citation
[identification of item], Photographs related to the New China Club of Reno, Nevada, and the Bay Area Golf Club of Oakland,
California (M2288). Department of Special Collections and University Archives, Stanford University Libraries, Stanford, California.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Golf -- History
Nat Desmarais Rare Books
New China Club photographs
half-box 1, folder 1
New China Club Casino - photographs mostly from the Fong Open
half-box 1, folder 2
New China Club Casino - photographs of Reno Queen and others
half-box 1, folder 3
New China Club Casino - photographs of men in suits and Honey Cup trophy
African American Bay Area Golf Club photographs and clippings
half-box 1, folder 4
African American Bay Area Golf Club of Oakland, California - photographs of events with men in ties and women in party dresses
half-box 1, folder 6
African American Bay Area Golf Club of Oakland, California - photographs of the 10th Annual Banquet
half-box 1, folder 6
African American Bay Area Golf Club of Oakland, California - photographs of men with trophies and groups of people at an event
half-box 1, folder 7
African American Bay Area Golf Club of Oakland, California - photographs of golfers outside
half-box 1, folder 8
African American Bay Area Golf Club of Oakland, California - snapshots of golfers playing and of a casual social event
half-box 1, folder 9
Loose pages from a scrapbook with newspaper articles of African Americans and black and white photos of golfers
