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Oral History Interview with Mak Shui Ka, 1993-11-13

 Item
Identifier: 1994.007.015

Abstract

In this interview, Mak Shui Ka discusses her life history in Communist China; upbringing, schools, her family, and persecution, as well as her successes as a conscripted cadet. Mrs. Ka describes her life in America, which brought her first experiences with poverty and grave anti-Chinese discrimination. She describes an extensive anti-Chinese pogrom waged by the Italian members of the Sunset Park neighborhood of Brooklyn. In response, Ka helped organize a community protest event and delivered a speech that vowed constant vigilance. She details extensively another incident of discrimination in which police stormed an apartment in the Chinatown neighborhood of Manhattan, then beat the family inside; including a pregnant woman. Ka was called as a community first responder; taking photographs and witness testimony, and helped prosecute the police members. In relation to Sunset Park, Ka also references her real estate transactions, the rent prices and taxes, and neighborhood crime. Interview in Cantonese conducted by Ka-Kam Chui.

Dates

  • Creation: 1993-11-13

Conditions Governing Use

All rights to the interviews, including but not restricted to legal title, copyrights and literary property rights, belong to the Museum of Chinese in America (MOCA) and the Brooklyn Historical Society. The indices and audio recordings are hereby made available for research purposes only. For more information, contact Museum of Chinese in America at collections@mocanyc.org or Brooklyn Historical Society at library@brooklynhistory.org.

Extent

1 Cassettes

Language of Materials

Chinese

Cultural context

Topical

Repository Details

Part of the Museum of Chinese in America Repository

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