The “Bachelor” Society

Chinese laborers began coming to the United States in the late 1840s, drawn by the rumors of gold and the promise of high wages at a time of civil war and economic stagnation in China. The primary objectives of these early Chinese immigrants, most of whom were male, were to tao jin (dig gold) or fa cai (strike rich), and to return home to join their families and enjoy the rest of their lives in relative dignity and wealth. Most Chinese immigrants never realized these dreams, and many spent their lives in poverty and loneliness because of intense anti-Chinese feelings in America, the "flower-flag country." Discriminatory laws such as the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 prevented most of them from establishing families in the United States. Dreams deferred, the immigrant sojourners gradually dispersed across the country, gathering in “Chinatowns,” poor neighborhoods in major cities where most of the residents were single men, a “bachelor society.” Chinese immigrants were brought east to New Jersey from San Francisco to work in laundries and subsequently arrived in Philadelphia.

Opportunities for these Chinese were limited to the most difficult and unrewarding occupations: operating hand laundries, working in restaurants and running small specialty shops. Most of the workers found it difficult to save money because of the need to send their resources home to their families. “Chinaman’s chance," an expression which described this employment discrimination, became a euphemism for “no chance at all.”

Chinatown and World War II: A Historical Turning Point

Japanese atrocities against China in the 1930s and the entry of the U.S. into World War II radically altered America’s image of China and resulted in a change of federal policies towards Chinese immigrants and an opening up of job opportunities.

Philadelphia's Chinese sensed the impending changes when they heard the news of the Japanese bombardment of Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Although they grieved for the loss of American soldiers and the devastation of war back in their native land, many people toasted to the occasion, knowing their fate was linked with American involvement in the Second World War. 

The much-hated discriminatory Chinese Exclusion Law of 1882 was removed in 1943. Although Chinese immigration was still limited by a national quota system at 105 annually, the door was opened for the Chinese to come to the United States. The bachelor society gave way to an increasingly family-oriented community as enlisted Chinese servicemen brought “war brides” to America.

Family and Community

Life in Chinatown, 1930s-1980s

Community life in Chinatown grew as more and more families settled in Chinatown after World War II. Churches, businesses, and social and cultural organizations were established to improve neighborhood life, preserve Chinese culture, and provide services to growing numbers of families and immigrants.

A number of churches were founded in Chinatown during and after the war, such as the Holy Redeemer Chinese Catholic Church and School (1941), Chinese Christian Church and Center (1941), and Chinese Gospel Church (1952). These churches not only provided religious services but also schools, recreational facilities, and community centers. Often organized as missionary churches, they worked to Americanize recent Chinese immigrants, mediating between and merging Chinese and American cultures. At church and school, a new generation of Chinese Americans found themselves playing basketball as well as practicing Chinese calligraphy, and celebrating Thanksgiving and Christmas as well as Chinese New Year.

As the community grew, new Chinese-identified community organizations were also founded. Previously, most resident bachelors had congregated in mutual assistance societies along family, regional, or occupational lines. The Chinese Benevolent Association, Chung Hua Kung So, was created in 1951 to bridge differences between these various associations. It worked to mediate disputes, provide housing and other services to immigrants, and preserve traditional Chinese culture. In 1955 six young men gathered to form a YMCA at a time when there were few public gathering spaces for socializing and recreation. The organization flourished as the Chinese Cultural and Community Center, offering classes in Chinese cooking and English and Chinese languages, organizing a Chinese New Year Parade, and sponsoring a "Dragon Club" for youth. Over time the CCCC promoted traditional culture and public recreation for residents and worked to attract non-Chinese visitors to Chinatown and Chinese culture.  

Activism and the “Save Chinatown” Movement

Chinatown residents worked to revitalize their neighborhood, once considered a "red light district." At the same time, urban developers made other plans for the downtown area. As a result, urban renewal projects began threatening the future of Chinatown's burgeoning community life in the 1960s. Construction plans for Market East, the Vine Street Expressway, and the Convention Center literally boxed Chinatown in from all sides and entailed the demolition of many homes and institutions. In 1966 community members were informed that the construction of the proposed Vine Street Expressway would destroy Holy Redeemer Catholic Church and School, an important community center. The destruction of these facilities, particularly the school, would mean the eventual demise of Chinatown as a neighborhood. Some older organizations like the Chinese Benevolent Association were concerned about the impact of the redevelopment projects, but Chinese tradition and language barriers made them reluctant to challenge City Hall.

A younger generation of American-born Chinese (known as juksin) challenged the conventional wisdom of the elders (juk), and took the lead in protesting the redevelopment plans. Cecilia Moy Yep, a young widow and mother of three, became the first woman to speak out in a public forum in Chinatown. With George Moy, Inspector Anthony Wong, Rev. Yam Tong Hoh, Mitzie Mackenzie and others, she organized the Committee for the Advancement and Preservation of the Chinese Community, later incorporated in 1969 as the Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation (PCDC). Members of the community, especially women and children, labored to save the church and neighborhood through a coalition of community groups including the CBA, PCDC, Holy Redeemer Church, Chinese Christian Church, and Yellow Seeds. The once voiceless Chinese became intensely involved in the American political process. They conducted demonstrations, petition drives, and media campaigns. They tirelessly met with city and state officials and exerted strong pressure on redevelopment agencies to involve community leaders in decisions and conduct Environmental Impact Statements for each proposed project. After 20 years of negotiation, the community and city agreed on a modified plan for the Vine Street Expressway in 1986, sparing the church and community.            

Chinatown Today and Tomorrow

The “Save Chinatown” movement marked an important transition for Chinatown from secluded immigrant enclave to engaged ethnic neighborhood. The movement has had lasting effects beyond the preservation of Holy Redeemer Church and the community continues to fight for its survival in the midst of ongoing urban renewal. PCDC works with city, state and federal governments to revitalize Chinatown through urban development projects. 

A recent influx of new immigrants from the Chinese province of Fujian (Fukien) and Southeast Asia has diversified Chinatown's residential and business community and presents new challenges to organizations providing services to residents. Activism continues to be a part of Chinatown's tradition. Asian Americans United, founded in 1985, champions the concerns of recent immigrants by protesting welfare cuts, challenging anti-immigrant sentiment, and pushing for educational reform. 

Like many other historical sites, Chinatown has also become a tourist attraction, attracting thousands of visitors each year. But Chinatown is more than an image or a tourist destination. It is a thriving urban village, a living neighborhood where residents create, work, socialize, worship, and raise families. Homes, professional offices, ethnic businesses, cultural centers, churches, murals, and gardens are visible signs of the community's life and commitment to be Asian and American. As it builds for its future and commemorates its past, Chinatown remains a stepping stone for recent immigrants as well as a cultural and social touchstone for Asian Americans in the Greater Philadelphia area.