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Showing Records: 1 - 7 of 7

Oral History Interview with Ching Yeh Chen, 2007-11-09

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Identifier: 2008.040.003
Abstract Born in Chongqing, China and raised in Taiwan, Ching Yeh Chen came to the United States in 1971 to pursue a graduate and masters degree. Chen finally settled in New York and joined her husband operating a retail corporation, Pearl River Market, which was officially founded in 1980. Discussing the history of Pearl River, Chen explains that the corporation had been created to introduce the “real China” to the American society, since as Chen argues there was no significant relationship between...
Dates: 2007-11-09

Oral History Interview with Jefferson Li, October 20, 2020

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Identifier: 2020.020.028
Abstract Jefferson Li’s family owns and runs the New York Chinatown butcher shop 47 Division Street Trading Inc. Like many Chinatown businesses, his family business took a huge economic hit due to the pandemic. Li took to the popular social news aggregator website Reddit to try and drum up business by publicizing their low prices to New Yorkers who wouldn’t normally be their primary demographic, becoming a pseudo celebrity in the process. As someone who has been in the Chinatown community prior to...
Dates: October 20, 2020

Oral History Interview with Johnny Lee, 1993-09-02

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Identifier: 1994.007.018
Abstract In this interview, using a pseudonym, "Johnny Lee" recounts his life history. He recollects being raised in Hong Kong by his mother while his father worked in America. He remembers his time at Chinatown Seward Park High School bilingual program, classmates who dropped out to join Chinese gangs, after-school work as a button-sewer in garment factories, college work as a dishwasher at a Chinese restaurant, and the decision to leave City College to pursue full-time work at an Off-Track Betting...
Dates: 1993-09-02

Oral History Interview with Tony Wong, 2004-04-01

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Identifier: 2014.036.013
Abstract Tony Wong, General Manager at Sino Television, was born and raised in Hong Kong. He immigrated to the United States to study broadcasting at both the undergraduate and graduate level. Tony recalls his initial struggles as a student coming from a poor economic background and how he eventually moved to New York City, receiving a job offer at NBC right after graduation. During his time at NBC and in Sino TV as a part-timer, Tony would learn a myriad of skills including production, directing,...
Dates: 2004-04-01

Oral History Interview with William Chiu, 2004-03-30

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Identifier: 2014.036.017
Abstract William Chiu, born in 1952, begins this interview recalling his childhood growing up, learning and working in Hong Kong. He talks about his father’s work as a chef and his father’s fateful opportunity to immigrate with his family to the United States. He describes his education and reasoning for desiring to go to the United States. William recounts his first job working as a waiter in training before beginning to work with his father in the restaurant business. He also describes the working...
Dates: 2004-03-30

Oral History Interview with Wing Ma, 2003-11-07

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Identifier: 2014.036.016
Abstract Wing Ma (Ma Wing Guo) was born in China to a poor farming family who moved to Hong Kong as refugees when he was age two. Wing talks about his life growing up in Hong Kong with his mother working in the garment industry and his father working as a chef in Manila. He studied until post-secondary school before moving to the United States to train and work as an engineer. Wing would eventually join the garment industry as a factory owner, and describes the industry’s decline over time due to...
Dates: 2003-11-07

The Family Journey of Virginia Moy Burcher, 2015-09-05

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Identifier: 2015.048.016
Abstract

Virginia Moy Burcher talks about her family journey to the US from Toisan. Her family then moves to New York and establishes a large series of businesses in Chinatown. She goes on to talk about growing up in the city and helping out at the various businesses before going to Hunter college to pursue education. She marries a man from Bermuda and talks about raising a biracial child and interracial marriage.

Dates: 2015-09-05