Collection Guide
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Liu (John M.) Collection of Orange County Chinese American
Photographs
MS.R.151
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Table of contents
Contributing Institution:
Special Collections and Archives, University of California, Irvine
Libraries
Title: John M. Liu collection of Orange County Chinese American photographs
Creator:
Liu, John M.
Identifier/Call Number: MS.R.151
Physical Description:
1.8 Linear Feet
(2 boxes.)
Date (inclusive): 1900-1992
Abstract: John M. Liu was a professor in the
Comparative Culture program at the University of California, Irvine and chair of the Chinese
American Council of the Historical and Cultural Foundation in 1992 when he curated an
exhibit of historical photographs depicting the experiences of Chinese Americans in Orange
County. The collection includes mounted photographs, captions, and a compact disc (CD) with
exhibit information and captions.
Language of Material:
English .
The collection is open for research.
Property rights reside with the University of California. Literary rights are retained by
the creators of the records and their heirs. Some of these materials are in the public
domain. For permissions to reproduce or to publish, please contact the Head of Special
Collections and Archives.
John M. Liu Collection of Orange County Chinese American Photographs. MS-R151. Special
Collections and Archives, The UC Irvine Libraries, Irvine, California. Date accessed.
For the benefit of current and future researchers, please cite any additional information
about sources consulted in this collection, including permanent URLs, item or folder
descriptions, and box/folder locations.
Gift of John M. Liu, October 2011.
Processed by Audra Eagle Yun, 2011.
The Historical and Cultural Foundation of Orange County (California) was founded by Linda
Leung Lau in 1985 to promote understanding of ethnic heritage and arts through exhibits and
other events. John M. Liu was a professor in the Comparative Culture program at the
University of California, Irvine and chair of the Chinese American Council of the Historical
and Cultural Foundation in 1992 when he curated an exhibit of historical photographs
depicting the experiences of Chinese Americans in Orange County. Assisted by Rose Cheung and
Patricia Lin, Liu presented the exhibit at the 1992 Kaleidoscope Festival in Irvine,
California. John M. Liu is currently a senior lecturer at the University of California,
Irvine.
Collection Scope and Content Summary
In 1992, John M. Liu curated an exhibit of historical photographs depicting the experiences
of Chinese Americans in Orange County. The exhibit photographs were duplicated from the
Elizabeth Shultz Collection of the Anaheim Public Library, the First American Title
Insurance Company, and from the family albums of Marcus Gih, Fred Lau, Linda Lau, Margaret
Lew, Pamela Tom, Amy Wong, David Wong, and May Wong. The exhibit was broadly divided into
three sections: the early years of immigration from 1870-1900, the transition years from
1901-1945, and the contemporary years from 1946-1992. The collection includes mounted
photographs, captions, and a compact disc (CD) with exhibit information and captions.
This collection is arranged in five series, reflecting the original themes of the
exhibit:
- Series 1. Entering
- Series 2. Agriculture
- Series 3. Merchants
- Series 4. Other
- Series 5. Modern
When received, the collection was not arranged. The processor re-established order by
arranging the photographs according to the exhibit caption list included with the
collection, which was broken into five themes. Exhibit caption boards were placed together
in a separate folder.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Chinese American families -- California -- Orange County --
Photographs
Chinese Americans -- California -- Archives.
Chinese American grocers -- California -- Orange County --
Photographs
Chinese American businesspeople -- California -- Orange County --
Photographs