By Khalida Sarwari
A new traveling exhibit at the Saratoga History Museum explores the Chinese immigrant story through photographs and text.
Titled “Pioneering the Valley: The Chinese American Legacy in Santa Clara Valley,” the exhibit depicts the history of the Chinese-American community in the region from the 19th century to the achievements of today’s leaders in technology and politics. A component of the exhibit will focus on Chinese-Americans in Saratoga who, according to Mayor Emily Lo, account for nearly 25 percent of the city’s population. Asians make up nearly 40 percent, she said.
“It helps to build a community through [the] understanding of each other’s history and involvement in America, and the many obstacles people faced as they struggled for acceptance in the society,” Lo said.
Saratoga Historical Foundation President Annette Stransky said the exhibit offers an opportunity to learn about the Chinese community’s contributions to the Santa Clara Valley.
“It is a story of endurance, of inequality, survival and achievement,” Stransky said. “This is a wonderful opportunity to learn about the contributions of this growing segment of Saratoga’s population.”
The 14-panel exhibit begins with the Chinese coming to the U.S. from 1850 to 1931 and settling in communities that are now known as Chinatowns. Like many immigrants, they struggled against inequalities, one of the more salient examples being the Chinese Exclusion Act that banned all Chinese from becoming U.S. citizens from 1882 through 1943. A panel discusses how locals went to court to fight against this law.
The exhibit also includes ways the Chinese shaped the region’s economy and culture, from farming and building roads to building the railroad. Lo said she believes it’s especially important for younger generations to learn about the Chinese pioneers who helped build the Transcontinental Railroad.
“These workers made history by providing a crucial link between the eastern and western region of our nation, making significant impact on the development of our nation’s trade, commerce, travel and settlement,” Lo said.
In cities such as Saratoga, the Chinese have also contributed in the areas of technology, politics and culture, with the most prominent examples being Aileen Kao, who served as the city’s first female Chinese mayor, and Vienna Teng, a Saratoga native who left Cisco Systems to pursue a career as a singer, pianist and songwriter.
The exhibit was created by the Chinese Historical and Cultural Project and is an extension of the Chinese American Historical Museum in San Jose’s History Park.
An opening reception will be held July 13 at 2 p.m. at 20450 Saratoga-Los Gatos Road, with appearances by the mayor, historian Connie Young Yu and Brenda Wong, president of the Chinese Historical Cultural Project. There will be a performance of zither music by Hong Tai and the Tamkang drum team, which is part of the Tamkang University Alumni Association and combines Chinese dance, kung fu and tai chi with the art of drumming. Light refreshments will be served.
The exhibit can be seen for free July 13-Oct. 26 at the Saratoga History Museum Friday-Sunday, 1-4 p.m.
