About Phase 1 (2007-2008)

During the summer of 2007, 11 high school youth interviewed 10 elders who lived or worked in Oakland Chinatown throughout the 1940s-1970s, when Chinatown faced intense change. As a part of Phase I, this set of ten 90 minute face-to-face interviews were captured on digital video and transcribed.  They are currently being processed for deposit at the Oakland Public Library’s Main Branch, Mills College, and OACC, and transcripts are available online for wide access.  The youth interviewers were greatly impacted by the elders’ vivid personal stories of early life in Chinatown and community formation in times of war, discriminatory laws, urban renewal, and grassroots organizing.   For more information, contact Roy Chan at (510) 637-0463 or rchan(at)oacc.cc

Oral Histories captured in Phase 1 (transcripts available online in April 2009)

Vangie Buell, interviewed by Milton Lee with Francis Chen
Henry Chang, interviewed by Sandy Liao with Sakura Huang
Alicia Chew, interviewed by David Joseph-Goteiner
Ted Dang, interviewed by Louie Chen with Edan Qian
Dr. David Der, interviewed by Eric Chen and Tiffany Chen
Darlene Lee, interviewed by Sakura Huang with Alan Wong, Wilson Wong, & Anne Huang
George Ong, interviewed by Tiffany Chen with Eric Chen
Charles Sumimoto, interviewed by Francis Chen with David Joseph-Goteiner
Li Keng Wong, interviewed by Edan Qian with Sakura Huang
William Wong, interviewed by Rose Huey with Sandy Liao

Phase 1 Staff

Project Director: Dr. Anne Huang
Project Manager: Angela Zusman of Uniquely Perfect.

For more details about Phase 1:

1. Check out a video of a KTVU Channel 2 interview by Rosy Chu with Anne Huang and Angela Zusman.
2. Check out an Oral History Association article written by Angela Zusman.

Project Links

General Project info (background & mission)
Phase 2 (Digital Archive Phase currently in 2009)

Upcoming Event!

Exhibit and Website Launch Party on Saturday, September 19, 2009 from 1:30pm-3pm at OACC. See our launch page for details.

Phase 1 was supported in part by the Clorox Foundation, San Francisco Foundation, City of Oakland, and individual donors.