MEGAN LOWE DANCES

Provided by Roy Chan

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​Intersecting Histories of San Francisco and Oakland Chinatown

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Being across the Bay from each other, San Francisco Chinatown and Oakland Chinatown are often compared as two of the oldest immigrant gateway neighborhoods in the Pacific coast. While San Francisco Chinatown is the oldest in the country (1850s), its counterpart in Oakland is almost as old (1870s) with previous Chinese settlements in other parts of the city’s downtown dating back to the 1860s. The early immigrants from both Chinatowns were Chinese from the Pearl River Delta, notably Toishan and Hoiping. Furthermore, both have had a historical presence of Filipino residents and businesses in the early 20th century with adjacent Manila towns. However, Oakland Chinatown has historically been more pan Asian with an added history of a significant Japanese American presence before 1942, and a strong presence of Southeast Asian since the 1970s.

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Displacement History

Both Chinatowns are within blocks of the shoreline to the Bay and both are located next to the city’s downtown core. Over their intersecting histories, both communities have experienced ongoing displacement threats from natural, political, and racially discriminating forces. For instance, when the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake and Fire destroyed San Francisco Chinatown, Oakland Chinatown became a neighborhood for many refugees to resettle. During the redevelopment era in the mid 20th century, freeways and other government-initiated developments displaced hundreds of residents and community spaces in both Chinatowns.  Despite these ongoing threats and gentrification pressures today, both have endured and experienced continual rebirth through the cultural creativity and advocacy efforts of their organized community members.

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Cultural Anchors

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Both Chinatowns are neighborhoods with vital places where generations of immigrants feel rooted and connected to their culture. The SF Chinatown Branch Library and Oakland's Asian Branch Library have served as welcoming spaces where newcomers and residents feel a sense of belonging with their multi-lingual staff and collections in many different Asian languages. Family-run, multi-generational businesses have served as cultural anchors that offer familiar foods and cultural goods. In particular, banquet spaces such as Far East Cafe in San Francisco and Peony Seafood Restaurant in Oakland have served as important gathering spaces that host community celebrations and events. Chinatown family associations, churches, and community-based organizations with parallel presence on both sides of the Bay have a long history of being safe spaces where residents receive in-language services, promote culture, and preserve neighborhood-serving real estate from speculation. The Chinese Culture Center in San Francisco and Oakland Asian Cultural Center together represent over 100 years of holding space for cultural performance and exchange in both Chinatowns.

Parallel Legacies

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With their long living histories, San Francisco and Oakland Chinatown continue to serve as vital immigrant gateways and cultural anchors where generations of residents feel a deep sense of home and shared identity. Originally formed due to racial discrimination and segregation as a result of the Chinese Exclusion Act, both Chinatowns have endured with their parallel and intersecting histories of resilience, mutual aid, and deep cultural roots.